Troy

Interestingly this fight for independent websites is similar to the fight Black owned independent Bookstores waged a decade ago. Sadly, I was not perceived by many book stores as a strong advocate because, as a web-based bookseller I was perceived as part of the problem. That was a shame because I have always actively advocated for and supporting independent black owned bookstores with money, book donations, time and energy. I have never received or sought anything in return. The funny thing about this battle is that unless you actually operate a website, as a business, you wouldn't have a clue what is going on online. But even if folks are made aware few will really care enough to lift a finger. I mean if we can't me moved to do anything about crappy public schools, our food supply, climate change, why would anyone lift a finger to support the handful of independent websites that are left? I have to admit though I have received quite a bit of support from all sorts of folks who ponied up money to pay for the monthly eNewsletter subscription, some paying $100 or more! It is a reminder that there is still an audience out there for the information I'm trying to share. I know every contribution I made to others last year was felt, something was given up or sacrificed. Every $1 matters and is appreciated. I've been spending a lot of time on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Youtube, Pinterest, Linkedin, Foursquare* (in order of benefit). Facebook is far and away the most effective Twitter is a distant 2nd. The rest I could stop using completely and feel no impact. In any event starting to day I'm no longer engaging people on social media. I will share links to this site (remotely) and others. But will only communicate with people on websites--not social media The worst case scenario is that I get no support and my website's traffic goes way down without engaging others on social media. The best case scenario is that I get a critical mass of other website owners to work on ways to bolster each other enabling us to read readers free of the effect of social media or search. The mostly likely scenario is that I free up a lot of time and keep the traffic I have, but am able improve the site because I'll be spending more time here than on Facebook. Peace, Troy

Join the fight for independence on the Web. Learn how and why it is important:

Yes, the US epitomizes hypocrisy by passing judgment on the rest of the world after exterminating the native population and enslaving Africans for hundreds of years. No nation on Earth has the temerity, resources or power to judge the US for its crimes, past or present. Don't look to the American population either, those in power are quite happy and the victims, most of us, are too ignorant or don't have the stomach to do anything about it. We'll just go back to our overpriced smart phones, talk about the latest reality TV program and ignore everything that is happening around us.

Hey Chris, glad to see you exploring the website. Jason's book was not just optioned it is now a TV Series -- I believe it may be on now. His book only had one Black character which is played by Omar Epps on the the series. Chris is you wife can read and workout at the same time -- I suspect she need to up the intensity a bit Hen81, I typically forget to mention the reduction in the number, and the quality, of Black book event is a big issue too. I've been trying to help promote these as well: http://aalbc.com/events/ As far as Black choices for entertainment goes It all points back to literacy. As reading rates decline so to do does the scope and depth of what we read. Our ability to understand and navigate the world is adversely impacted as well.

I have not seen Dallas Buyers Club I try to check that film out next. I still think Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom should have been in the mix. If was my personal favorite film of 2013 -- even edging out Star Trek ;-)

The Envelope Please: Who Will Win, Who Deserves to Win, Who Was Snubbed by Kam Williams 12 Years a Slave is benefiting from the most Best Picture buzz as we approach Oscar night, although this is shaping up as one of those rare years when the award for Best Director will probably go to a different film, Gravity. Look for 12 Years to net only a trio of statuettes overall, with Gravity likely landing seven. 12 Years a Slave is the sort of elaborate historical drama the voters just love to recognize, as reflected in such past picks as The King’s Speech, Gladiator, Shakespeare in Love, Titanic, The English Patient, Schindler’s List, Driving Miss Daisy, The Last Emperor, Amadeus and Out of Africa, to name a few. And since the Anglophilic Academy ostensibly is impressed by English accents, it will also help that 12 Years is a British production. Besides forecasting the winners, I also suggest which nominees in each category is actually the most deserving. Furthermore, because some great performances are invariably overlooked by the Academy entirely, I also point out some who should’ve at least been nominated. The 86th Academy Awards will air live on ABC this Sunday, March 2nd at 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT, and will be hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. Best Picture Will Win: 12 Years a Slave Deserves to Win: 12 Years a Slave Overlooked: Lee Daniels’ The Butler Best Director Will Win: Alphonso Cuaron (Gravity) Deserves to Win: Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) Overlooked: Lee Daniels (The Butler) Best Actor Will Win: Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club) Deserves to Win: Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) Overlooked: Forest Whitaker (The Butler) Best Actress Will Win: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine) Deserves to Win: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine) Overlooked: Sharni Vinson (You’re Next) Best Supporting Actor Will Win: Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club) Deserves to Win: Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club) Overlooked: Harrison Ford (42) Best Supporting Actress Will Win: Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave) Deserves to Win: Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave) Overlooked: Maria Bello (Prisoners) Best Original Screenplay: Will Win: Spike Jonze (Her) Deserves to Win: David O. Russell and Eric Warren Singer (American Hustle) Overlooked: Aaron Guzikowski (Prisoners) Best Adapted Screenplay: Will Win: John Ridley (12 Years a Slave) Deserves to Win: John Ridley (12 Years a Slave) Overlooked: Danny Strong (The Butler) Predictions for Secondary Categories Animated Feature: Frozen Foreign Language Film: The Great Beauty (Italy) Documentary Feature: 20 Feet from Stardom Cinematography: Gravity Costume Design: The Great Gatsby Production Design: The Great Gatsby Film Editing: Gravity Makeup and Hairstyling: Dallas Buyers Club Original Score: Gravity Best Song: Let It Go (Frozen) Sound Editing: Gravity Sound Mixing: Gravity Visual Effects: Gravity See a list of nominees

Interesting that you should mention Amari Cynique. He is another conscious writer and one of the people I work with to try to elevate all of us. Again, I don't believe our reading community is too small to support at least one full service Black owned independent bookstore in each city that has a large Black population and at least a few websites dedicated to promoting Black authors. But given the current situation Cynique, you may be right. However, looking around I doubt going to the gym is a significant distraction keep us from reading

Chris there are Black writers writing as well as Dan Brown, certainly was well as EL James... I don't think expanding our range is the issue. I think WE, Black people, have to stop looking to white institutions for validation. These corporate entities have demonstrated, time and time again that they do not care about us. Indeed, they don't even care about other white people. If we constantly look to others, Amazon, social media, whatever to change things to our benefit we will continue to be very disappointed.

Peniel E. Joseph, Professor of History and Director of the Center for Study of Race and Democracy at Tufts University, was the keynote speaker at How Far to the Promised Land?: Civil Rights since Brown v. Board of Education, held on Thursday, February 6, 2014.

Chris thanks. I updated the post. The query is actually a list of articles PW has written that covered or included AALBC.com over the years. I was interviewed a couple of weeks back and used that query to find the article. I was surprised to see the coverage over the years including an article going back to 1999. There are many players mentioned still in publishing working for themselves and no longer working for major publishers. Other have passed away, far too young, like the 1st editor of Black Expressions Book Club, Monica Harris and literary agent Manie Baron. The scene, back in 1999, was far more optimistic that the 2014 article I referenced above. I told Judith in my interview that while I have hope and am working for things to turn around. I can not point to single indicator to suggest that it will do so. The ABA who suggests that the number of indie bookstores is on the rise, is simply counting them differently, including stores they would have has included in the past. that I was unaware of when I was interviewed, is something that gives me hope.

African-American Booksellers Look For a Turnaround By Judith Rosen Feb 14, 2014 The number of black bookstores has declined precipitously since 2002, when the American Booksellers Association counted 300 members. Today there are fewer than 100, according to Troy Johnson, president of the African American Literary Book Club (AALBC.com), who maintains a list by state. But with the opening of Black Stone Bookstore and Cultural Center in Ypsilanti, Mich., in November, the projected opening of Ancestry Books in Minneapolis in June, and MahoganyBooks.com looking to open a physical bookstore by 2016, it’s possible that things are changing. Read the rest of the article.

I'll Take You There: Mavis Staples, the Staple Singers, and the March up Freedom's Highway by Greg Kot This is the untold story of living legend Mavis Staples—lead singer of the Staple Singers and a major figure in the music that shaped the civil rights era. Now in her seventies, Mavis has been a fixture in the music world for decades. One of the most enduring artists of popular music, she and her family fused gospel, soul, folk, and rock to transcend racism and oppression through song. Honing her prodigious talent on the Southern gospel circuit of the 1950s, Mavis and the Staple Singers went on to sell more than 30 million records, with message-oriented soul music that became a sound track to the civil rights movement—inspiring Martin Luther King Jr. himself. Critically acclaimed biographer and Chicago Tribune music critic Greg Kot cuts to the heart of Mavis Staples’s music, revealing the intimate stories of her sixty-year career. From her love affair with Bob Dylan, to her creative collaborations with Prince, to her recent revival alongside Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, this definitive account shows Mavis as you’ve never seen her before. I’ll Take You There was written with the complete cooperation of Mavis and her family. Readers will also hear from Prince, Bonnie Raitt, David Byrne, Marty Stuart, Ry Cooder, Steve Cropper, and many other individuals whose lives have been influenced by Mavis’s talent. Filled with never-before-told stories, this fascinating biography illuminates a legendary singer and group during a historic period of change in America.

Here are the first 55 stores that will benefit from James' largess. They will share at total $267,000. Some of that money will support California Bookstore Day, a statewide celebration — overseen by the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association — that will be held May 3. You can suggest a bookstore to benefit at James website. Here is a list of Black Owned independents :-) A Whale of a Tale – Irvine, CA Alamosa Books – Albuquerque, NM Anderson's – Naperville, IL Andover Bookstore (Hugo Books) – Andover, MA Bank Street Bookstore – New York, NY Bookshop Santa Cruz – Santa Cruz, CA Book Bin – Northbrook, IL Book Culture –New York, NY Book Passage – Corte Madera, CA Book Revue – Huntington, NY BookPeople – Austin, TX Books & Books – Coral Gables, FL Books & Greetings – Northvale, NJ Books of Wonder – New York, NY Booktenders – Doylestown, PA Bookworks – Albuquerque, NM Brazos Bookstore, Inc. – Houston, TX Brewster Book Store – Brewster, MA Broadside Book Shop – Northampton, MA Browseabout Books – Rehoboth Beach, DE Children's Book World – Los Angeles, CA Children's Book World – Haverford, PA Doylestown Bookshop – Doylestown, PA Eighth Day Books – Wichita, KS Gallery Bookshop/Bookwinkle Children – Mendocino, CA Hicklebee's – San Jose, CA Innisfree Bookshop – Lincoln, NH Lake Forest BookStore – Lake Forest, IL Little Shop of Stories – Decatur, GA Malaprop's Bookstore and Café – Asheville, NC Mysterious Galaxy – Redondo Beach/San Diego, CA Nicola's Books – Ann Arbor, MI Norwich Bookstore – Norwich, VT Oblong Books – Millerton, NY Odyssey Book Shop – South Hadley, MA Old Firehouse Books – Fort Collins, CO Page & Palette – Fairhope, AL Park Road Books – Charlotte, NC Parnassus Books – Nashville, TN Percy's Burrow – Topsham, ME Phoenix Books – Essex Junction, VT Porter Square Books – Cambridge, MA Reading Reptile – Kansas City, MO Red Balloon – St. Paul, MN Russo's Marketplace Books – Bakersfield, CA Schuler Books and Music – Okemos, MI Subterranean Books – St. Louis, MO The Bookies – Denver, CO The BookLoft – Great Barrington, MA The Bookstore Plus – Lake Placid, NY The Children's Bookstore – Baltimore, MD The Yellow Brick Road – San Diego, CA Wellesley Books – Wellesley, MA Wild Rumpus – Minneapolis, MN Wonderland Books – Rockford, IL Sorted by State and City Page & Palette – Fairhope, AL Russo's Marketplace Books – Bakersfield, CA Book Passage – Corte Madera, CA A Whale of a Tale – Irvine, CA Children's Book World – Los Angeles, CA Gallery Bookshop/Bookwinkle Children – Mendocino, CA Mysterious Galaxy – Redondo Beach/San Diego, CA The Yellow Brick Road – San Diego, CA Hicklebee's – San Jose, CA Bookshop Santa Cruz – Santa Cruz, CA The Bookies – Denver, CO Old Firehouse Books – Fort Collins, CO Browseabout Books – Rehoboth Beach, DE Books & Books – Coral Gables, FL Little Shop of Stories – Decatur, GA Lake Forest BookStore – Lake Forest, IL Anderson's – Naperville, IL Book Bin – Northbrook, IL Wonderland Books – Rockford, IL Eighth Day Books – Wichita, KS Andover Bookstore (Hugo Books) – Andover, MA Brewster Book Store – Brewster, MA Porter Square Books – Cambridge, MA The BookLoft – Great Barrington, MA Broadside Book Shop – Northampton, MA Odyssey Book Shop – South Hadley, MA Wellesley Books – Wellesley, MA The Children's Bookstore – Baltimore, MD Percy's Burrow – Topsham, ME Nicola's Books – Ann Arbor, MI Schuler Books and Music – Okemos, MI Wild Rumpus – Minneapolis, MN Red Balloon – St. Paul, MN Reading Reptile – Kansas City, MO Subterranean Books – St. Louis, MO Malaprop's Bookstore and Café – Asheville, NC Park Road Books – Charlotte, NC Innisfree Bookshop – Lincoln, NH Books & Greetings – Northvale, NJ Alamosa Books – Albuquerque, NM Bookworks – Albuquerque, NM Book Revue – Huntington, NY The Bookstore Plus – Lake Placid, NY Oblong Books – Millerton, NY Bank Street Bookstore – New York, NY Books of Wonder – New York, NY Book Culture – New York, NY Booktenders – Doylestown, PA Doylestown Bookshop – Doylestown, PA Children's Book World – Haverford, PA Parnassus Books – Nashville, TN BookPeople – Austin, TX Brazos Bookstore, Inc. – Houston, TX Phoenix Books – Essex Junction, VT Norwich Bookstore – Norwich, VT

Chris, in all the places I mentioned this I refrained from mentioning Black folks. I had two main motivation for sharing this story; (1) I was hoping that Patterson's action would serve as an example. The engagement with this story was relatively high. Many people, apparently, respect Patterson's no-strings-attached, monetary gift. There are of course Black writers that do good things with their time and money, but as with most things our needs are greater and unfortunately the supported is less. (2) My second motivation (as always) was to help raise awareness of this issue. James' popularity can help. Black, popular media, has been completely silent on what is happening with Black books and literacy in the Black community. This silence has led to a complete lack of actions in our community. I'm trying to change that. I read somewhere that Idris Elba was originally taped to play Alex Cross, but Tyler Perry was substituted later. The film was a commercial success

James Patterson Giving Cash to Bookstores By JULIE BOSMANFEB. 19, 2014 The best-selling author James Patterson has started a program to give away $1 million of his personal fortune to dozens of bookstores, allowing them to invest in improvements, dole out bonuses to employees and expand literacy outreach programs. More than 50 stores across the country will begin receiving cash grants this week, from Percy’s Burrow in Topsham, Me., to Page & Palette in Fairhope, Ala., to A Whale of a Tale in Irvine, Calif. Read the full article at the New York Times James is pledging to help U.S. booksellers keep the life-changing reading habit alive and well in our local communities. If you would like more information about his efforts, please sign up here to receive announcements.

Besides Obama is only a 1/2 sub-human mongrel . Why would anyone with the wherewithal to assassinate the president want to? He has pretty much done the bidding of the corporate elites while completely nullifying any Black opposition. The average Black teen is in more danger of being assassinated than Barack Obama is today.

Chris we need to figure out more effective ways for not just you to share your articles but for others to do the same on your behalf. I think the data you shared is helpful, certainly, but what is more helpful is the context. For example, most people would simply say, "Hey, I sold $6,000 worth of product using social media," without mentioning what it took to make those sales. This draws others in thinking they can do the same. Really this is the problem I see with social media marketing. Too many of us are hyping the benefits and downplaying the problems and challenges small business will encounter. Book sellers have it even harder, because the margins are razor slim, competition from Amazon is tremendous, and search favors corporations. The world does not really seem to mind having only a handful of companies they can buy sneakers from. Over the last 40 years I've only brought athletic shoes from 4 different companies. If you ignore the one pair of Asics running shoes I brought 4 or 5 years ago (that I still use), it would be 3 different companies, and one of those companies was Puma. Today the vast majority of books are brought from Amazon. No one seems to mind that much either. Indeed many are glad, except people like me who remember what was...

Facebook knows better than to show me some bullshit that like :-) Any any rate, this is a gimmick the Steve Harvey machine is using to build their own social media platforms. This activity cost some serious paper to execute. That is another issue completely overlooked at the Black Enterprise panel and many similar presentations that I've attended (or given for that matter)--they don't bring up costs. Another assumption is that you can be successful on social media marketing without spending a penny. Again, if you are you are not successful you are dumb. Imagine if Harvey used his platform to uplift successful Black owned websites? Supposed he highlighted a Brother with his own sneaker company or a Brother that has been highlighting Black books for almost two decades--including every book and film Steve has been in! Instead our biggest Black platforms amp social.

Thanks of the correction NavyMomCJ, I'll have to find the updated programs. I got the information I provided earlier from the PBS site.

Chris man this looks really good. I'll be joinging you shortly. Funny, tonight I attended a presentation given by Black Enterprise (of all folks) called, "Innovate or Die: How to Successfully Leverage Your Brand in the Age of Social Media." It was all social media hype. The notion that one would NOT consider using social media was not even considered, indeed it was stated as an assumption right from the jump. The general consensus is that if you use social media, you'll reap great rewards. If not, then you MUST be doing something wrong. So you can payt to promote more posts, hire a consultant, spend more time....

"....who shops a WalMart, patronizes MacDonalds, visits FaceBook, utilizes Google and Wikipedia..." You sell-out get off this discussion forum Actually another great post, I guess that is why this is your house Cynique.

this program ended in 2010, but was an excellent combination of jounralism and relating a story Bill Moyers Journal (Audio) | PBS Veteran journalist Bill Moyers returns to PBS with Bill Moyers Journal, a weekly program of interviews and news analysis on a wide range of subjects, including politics, arts and culture, the media, the economy, and issues facing democracy. Capitol Crimes Wednesday, May 05, 2010 11:00 AM With disgraced lobbyist back in the news and on the big screen in Alex Gibney's new film, CASINO JACK, we re-present Bill Moyers 2006 in-depth exploration of Abramoff and his Washington world. CAPITOL CRIMES investigates the Abramoff lobbying scandal, revealing the web of relationships, secret deals and political manipulation and opening a disturbing window on the dark side of American politics. The fall of Jack Abramoff has exposed a huge web of corruption that still remains vastly unreported by the broadcast media, even as prosecutors continue to chase down leads and quiz insiders and witnesses. Moyers and his colleagues untangle emails, reports, interviews and facts on the record to provide viewers with a coherent pattern of criminal and political chicanery. http://www-tc.pbs.org/moyers/rss/media/BMJ-capcrimes.mp3 Populism, Social Change and Our World Friday, April 30, 2010 11:00 AM In this special one and half hour edition of Bill Moyers Journal, The Journal travels to Iowa where one group has been helping ordinary citizens fight for change for more than three decades. And, Bill Moyers and populist Jim Hightower to look at the history and legacy of people's movements and discuss how ordinary people can reclaim political power. And, Acclaimed author Barry Lopez joins Bill Moyers to discuss nature, spirit and the human condition. Lopez is an essayist, author and short-story writer, whose many books include ARCTIC DREAMS, winner of the National Book Award and OF WOLVES AND MEN, a National Book Award finalist. And, a Bill Moyers Essay. http://www-tc.pbs.org/moyers/rss/media/BMJ-1353.mp3 Bank Reform and Net Neutrality Friday, April 23, 2010 11:00 AM The Internet has transformed business, politics, and culture – but will a corporate agenda kill freedom of the Web? With radio and television dominated by mega-corporations, more and more Americans have turned to the Internet for news – but a recent court ruling gives Big Telecom more control over broadband. Bill Moyers talks with FCC commissioner Michael Copps to discuss the future of 'net neutrality', the fight for more democratic media and the future of journalism in the digital age. And, as President Obama makes the case for strong financial reform, Bill Moyers sits down with veteran regulator William K. Black, who says Wall Street is already been breaking current rules. http://www-tc.pbs.org/moyers/rss/media/BMJ-1352.mp3

"...they think that it will take interest away from their books." Maybe you are right Chris, but I also know it was not always like that. Back before the Black book business peaked, authors would often have a page of links to other author wesbites. Today they only link to social media.

Can you post or email me troy@aalbc.com a screen shot of what you are talking about

Yeah people where, mostly self-published authors, were getting crazy tagging me on their books and other content I have nothing to do with. I consider that behavior spam just stopped everyone from doing it. Post a link here for your author's page