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Recently an article was published on the Oprah Magazine website, “119 Black-Owned Bookstores in America That Amplify the Best in Literature.” While I was not attributed as a source of the list, I know I was because my bookstore list contains at least one bookstore that is not a bookstore 😉. But the list was widely copied so who knows where they sourced the info (including my rouge “bookstore”). Unlike many of the other sites which used the list, Oprah Mag at least included AALBC as a store, so I’m good. Oprah Magazine also created another article, "12 Authors Share Their Favorite Black-Owned Bookstores." This is was an really cool thing to do too! One of the 12 authors, Mitchell Jackson, even cited AALBC.com as his favorite bookstore! But here’s is the thing, and it is a big deal, when mentioning the author’s books, the Oprah Magazine did not send readers to a single Black-owned store. Instead they linked to a white-owned business (bookshop.org), for the book sales — missing a tremendous opportunity to direct those sales to Black-owned bookstores’ websites! It is fine to say how much you support indie booksellers, but the biggest thing supporters of Black-owned bookstores can do is to send book buyer to our stores and websites. Far too many “supporters” send book buyers link to Amazon, and now increasingly, to Bookshop, while voicing support of Black owned bookstores (read more on why linking to Bookshop.org does not support Black-owned Bookstores). Several authors have told me that they don't want to show favoritism for one Black independent over another. However these authors easily show favoritism by linking to Amazon or Bookshop. In 2020 no one needs to be told they can buy a book from Amazon, and Bookshop gets free promotion that really was intended for Black-owned stores If you want to support Black-owned bookstores, stop promoting Amazon and promote a Black-owned bookstores instead! I know most supporters of Black-owned bookstores simply don’t know this, and this is why I'm writing the message. I didn’t know either; While I've been selling books, on the web for almost 23 years, most of that time I was selling books as an Amazon affiliate. Despite my advocacy for Black owned bookstores, I was completely unaware of how my affiliation with Amazon was undermining independent booksellers. Once I started selling books directly, boycotting Amazon just made common sense. However replacing Amazon with Bookshop is only a marginally better solution. Amazon pays affiliates 4% and Bookshop pays 10%, far less that what an indie bookseller would make on a sale. You have to actively support Black-owned stores if you believe they are important. The idea that Amazon has the best prices is often not true, so that argument no longer holds. Often books sales on Amazon are actually fulfilled by third parties anyway, so Amazon is not really adding any value. Indeed, they are reducing value by acting as an intermediary who make money on every transaction with zero risk. The American Booksellers Association (ABA) used to tout an solution called Indiebound.org which allowed supporters of indie bookstores to provide book links without showing "favoritism" to any particular bookseller or linking to Amazon. For example, if someone wanted to provide a buy to Mitchell S. Jackson's book, Survival Math: Notes on an All-American Family they could use a link like this: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781501131707. Once the book buyer reached the indiebound site they could enter a zip code, say my local zip code 33647, and a list of local booksellers would be shown. Indiebound would send readers to local indie bookseller sites to complete the sale. It seems like the ABA is pushing the Bookshop solution which is a mistake in my opinion, but again I advocate for independence. Reliance on Bookshop or Amazon to process our book orders and take most of the profit, is the opposite of Independence. Clearly Amazon wants us to be dependent upon them. I doubt Bookshop is any different. Now I understand that some brick and mortar booksellers are unable to sell books on the web and the pandemic has only made things worse by closing some — not all — physical stores. But imagine if the Black independent booksellers, who can handle the sales, got the business that we are sending to Bookshop. Support Black-Owned Booksellers.

I'm searching for black and brown voices to contribute short publications in the following fields of interest: Science, Technology, Education, Health Care, The Artstyle and Life Productivity I've created a safe space with an inherent fan base who have supported my projects for greater than three decades. I believe in sharing good content, typically G-Rated, with the intent to uplift and educate amidst a touch of laughter. If this sounds like your jam, please visit owshowe.com to get a feel for how content is presented on my website and send an email to owshowe@gmail.com for more information. Stay safe! ~ O.W.

I am one of the many talented black independent authors that have written groundbreaking novels. The sequel to my award-winning novel, Mirrors of Life Part 2: The Fight for Political Power, is a thriller in today's political climate. When the actions of fictional characters playout in real life, the imagination is made real, and fiction becomes non-fiction. There is no difference between the KKK and the Nazis. In 1927, Donald Trump's father was arrested at a Klan rally in Queens, NY, when Klan members clashed with police. In 1939, there was a Nazi rally billed as American patriots that filled Madison Square Garden. Rumor is that Donald Trump's grandfather, a German immigrant, attended that rally. Also, in 1939, President Franklin D Roosevelt refused to allow a ship of Jews fleeing Nazi Germany to enter the USA. Why? Are there influential members of the Nazi Party in American politics? Mirrors of Life Part 2: The Fight for Political Power reads like a conspiracy theory, but the events are occurring in real life. This tale is gripping, chilling, intense, and real.

It's part memoir. Part social commentary from a man who truly knows a thing or two about the black diaspora, having traveled around the world first as a merchant seaman, then a man in search of healing herbs. From rage to solemnity in a Honduran setting reminiscent of a fireside chat, Dr. Sebi Speaks of Dembali is an insightful read. "I went to the jungles of Africa, and I came back with an herb call cancansa that cured a man in L.A. of prostate cancer." --Dr. Sebi Thank you AALBC for the connection. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss this new book and others.

Just finished this book. I expected it to bash those in the Civil Rights Movement who identified with "non violence". I myself am not a "non violent" and this book changed my perception of the "two" strategies. I originally thought "non violence" was weak. But now see it can be an effective tool that must be accompanied with people willing to defend. The author (Charles Cobb) did an amazing job of showing how the two worked hand in hand. Often, when direct physicality wasn't an option, we resorted to other, more creative ways to fight against the system. Work stoppages, slow downs and most notably, running away. There are many anecdotes of the self defense black Americans used in the struggle for freedom. Cobb even covers rebellion during slavery and shows the long history of us standing up to the power structure, with our backs against the wall. I really liked when Cobb spoke on the struggles that CORE, SNCC and other groups, had when bringing their non violent way of organizing to a southern culture where the gun was a daily part of life, as was the terroristic violence. The southern men and women opened their homes and lives to these student organizers and often times protected them from attacks. Charles Cobb was a field secretary for SNCC and provides first hand knowledge and experience of the horror that was (and in a lot of ways still is) the American South (the north, where I'm from, is bad as well but it wasn't the primary focus of the book). I could go on and on but this is a very well written and researched book that gives a perspective of the Civil Rights Movement that isn't often showcased. I recommend everyone to check it out. "Black resistance to white supremacy is deeply rooted in grassroots community organizing and best describes black peoples' effort at gaining freedom and full citizenship; efforts that began long before the demonstrations and protest in public spaces associated with the 1960's." - Charles E. Cobb Jr

Walkman93, I share your comments about Charlie's work. I call him that because we have a few things in common. We worked at Howard University's radio station WHUR, he in the late 70s as a reporter, me in the 1980s as a public affairs producer. I interviewed him about his book in 2014 and I was truly ecstatic about this stellar piece of journalism and bravery. One thing though, the cover on my hardback book is different from the paperback. No problem. Still a good book that should be required reading in all journalism classes.

As a result, of Libro.fm's campaign $67,462 will be shared between 42 Black-owned Libro.fm partner bookstores.