How to Celebrate Black Bookstore Day

Black Bookstore Day is an opportunity to recognize the history, cultural significance, and continued impact of Black-owned bookstores while supporting the businesses and people carrying that work forward today.

The inaugural celebration takes place Saturday, August 29, 2026, and there are plenty of ways to participate. Whether you’re a reader, bookstore, business, organization, author, publisher, or simply someone who wants to show support, there’s a place for you in the celebration.

If You Can, Shop

One of the most direct ways to support a Black-owned bookstore is to spend money with them.

Buy a book. Preorder something on your reading list. Pick up a gift, stationery, merchandise, or a gift card. If the store offers memberships or subscription programs, consider joining.

Shopping locally isn’t your only option, either. Many Black-owned bookstores sell online, making it possible to support a store in another city or state.

Every purchase supports an independent Black-owned business.

If shopping isn’t within your budget right now, keep reading. There are other ways to participate.

Learn Their Stories

Every Black-owned bookstore has its own history, mission, and reason for doing this work.

Take some time to learn about the stores you support. Read their About pages. Follow them on social media. Learn how they got started and what they offer their communities.

Black Bookstore Day is also an opportunity to discover stores you may not have encountered before.

Show Up

If a Black-owned bookstore near you is hosting an event or program for Black Bookstore Day, show up if you can.

Attend an author talk. Take the kids to storytime. Join a book club or workshop. Stop by a celebration. Browse the shelves and talk to the booksellers.

Your presence is another way to support the spaces doing this work.

Spread the Word

Help other people discover Black-owned bookstores.

Share a store’s social media post. Tag a friend. Post your Black Bookstore Day purchase. Recommend a bookstore you love. Leave a thoughtful review after a good experience. Tell your family, coworkers, book club, or group chat about August 29.

And use #BlackBookstoreDay when you share how you’re celebrating so we can see what’s happening across the country.

Support Black Authors

Black Bookstore Day is a good time to discover a Black writer you haven’t read before or revisit one you love.

Ask a bookseller for recommendations across genres, including fiction, romance, poetry, history, memoir, children’s books, speculative fiction, essays, and more.

You might leave with a new favorite.

Tell a Friend to Tell a Friend

Make Black Bookstore Day part of your August 29 plans.

Bring a friend, your family, coworkers, book club, or organization. If you’re shopping online, choose a bookstore together and place your orders.

Introducing someone else to a Black-owned bookstore can extend the impact of your own participation.

For Black-Owned Bookstores

There is no one way to celebrate Black Bookstore Day.

Participate in a way that works for your store. Host an event or special program. Offer a promotion. Share your bookstore’s history. Highlight Black authors, books, or publishers. Partner with another Black-owned business or organization. Or simply invite your community to come in, shop, and spend the day with you.

Whatever you have planned, use #BlackBookstoreDay so we can see and share how you’re celebrating.

For Bookstores in Solidarity

Bookstores that are not Black-owned are invited to celebrate in solidarity.

Highlight Black-owned bookstores in your area or elsewhere. Tell your customers about Black Bookstore Day. Feature Black literature. Share participating stores and their events. Most importantly, encourage your community to direct support toward Black-owned bookstores.

If you’re participating, use #BlackBookstoreDay to help connect your celebration to the larger observance.

For Organizations and Businesses

Organizations and businesses can participate by purchasing books from Black-owned bookstores, sharing Black Bookstore Day with their audiences, highlighting bookstores in their communities, sponsoring purchases or programming, or partnering with a bookstore on an event or initiative.

Think about what support makes sense for your organization and how it can benefit a Black-owned bookstore directly.

For the Book Industry

Publishers, authors, distributors, literary organizations, book clubs, media outlets, and others across the book industry can help amplify Black Bookstore Day.

Share participating bookstores. Promote their events and celebrations. Encourage your audiences to shop with Black-owned bookstores. Consider how your organization or platform can support these businesses on August 29 and throughout the year.

Ready to celebrate? Explore the Black Bookstore Day™ Media & Celebration Kit for shareable graphics, social media tools, celebration resources, participating bookstore materials, and more.

Celebrate August 29. Support Year-Round.

Black Bookstore Day gives us a shared date to recognize and celebrate Black-owned bookstores, but the support doesn’t have to end when August 29 does.

If you’re able, shop with a Black-owned bookstore on Black Bookstore Day. Then come back.

Shop. Attend. Share. Follow. Recommend. Return.

The inaugural Black Bookstore Day is Saturday, August 29, 2026, and will be recognized annually on the last Saturday in August.

Learn more, find Black-owned bookstores to support, and share how you’re celebrating at blackbookstoreday.com.

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