Raleigh Mom Opening N.C.'s First Black-Owned Children's Bookstore

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Inspired by her sons, Raleigh mom opening N.C.'s first Black-owned children's bookstore   WHO: Children's book author and film producer Victoria Scott-Miller is opening Liberation Station Bookstore, North Carolina’s first Black-owned children’s bookstore.   WHAT: The small-but-mighty 364-square foot bookstore in downtown Raleigh will carry more than 1,000 titles rooted in the stories of Black families and featuring characters of color. The store will be divided into four curated sections:  The Diaspora Wall will feature works that follow the voyage of the Transatlantic Map, including from Sierra Leone, Angola, Brazil, The West Indies and more.  The America section will include books that reflect the vastness of Black childhood from birth to 18-years-old with an emphasis on those titles written by Black creators or independent and local authors and published by Black-owned or Black-led publishers and small presses.  AP African American Studies will feature titles that have been banned from schools or have been recommended by Black AP African American Studies educators throughout the country. Examples include Amanda Gorman's "The Hill We Climb" poem, James Baldwin's "Go Tell it on the Mountain," and Toni Morrison's "The Bluest Eye" and "Beloved." The Anchor section will offer pairings of adult titles with children’s books to foster intergenerational conversations. For example, author Bell Hooks’ children’s book, “Homemade Love” will be offered as a companion title to Hooks’ classic, “All About Love," and Nicole Hannah-Jones’ groundbreaking “The 1619 Project” will be paired with her children’s book, “Born on the Water.”   WHEN: The grand opening festivities on June 17, 18 and 19 will include book signings by bestselling and award-winning Black children’s book authors and illustrators as well as Black historians, an ASL storytime, a middle school marching band performance, and even a "Liberation March" down Fayetteville Street with Black equestrians. Full schedule below.   WHERE: 208 Fayetteville St., Suite 201, Raleigh NC 27601   WHY: This Black-owned, family-led independent bookstore was inspired by Scott-Miller’s struggle to find children’s books with uplifting stories featuring characters of color during a family outing to a chain bookstore. That experience led Scott-Miller, her husband, Duane Miller, and her sons, Langston and Emerson, to start Liberation Station Bookstore in 2019. They specialized in selling children’s literature by Black authors or Black illustrators that centers on the joys of Black childhood and Black families. After four years as a pop-up store at events, Scott-Miller is opening a permanent retail location. The family's work to this point has garnered national and local media attention: “Good Morning America,” CNN, The Washington Post, Oprah Magazine, NBC News Now, The Raleigh News & Observer, Indy Week, WUNC, Axios Raleigh, WRAL, ABC11, CBS17 and Spectrum News 1.     Schedule of the opening weekend festivities:    Saturday, June 17: 11-11:30 a.m. Ribbon cutting and welcome. Juneteenth affirmations read by children's book author Julia Mallory. Singers from the North Carolina Opera will perform "Lift Every Voice and Sing." The City of Raleigh Hispanic and Immigrant Affairs Board has purchased 65 copies of Scott-Miller's book, "The Museum Lives in Me" to give away for free to the first guests during the grand opening. 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Book signing with notable children's book authors and illustrators, including: Derrick Barnes, who wrote the 2022 graphic novel "Victory. Stand!-Raising My Fist For Justice" (National Book Award finalist), "Crown: an Ode to a Fresh Cut" (Caldecott and Newbery honors), and New York Times bestselling books, “I am Every Good Thing” and “The King of Kindergarten,” among many others.  Tameka Fryer Brown, who wrote “That Flag,” “Brown Baby Lullaby,” “My Cold Plum Lemon Pie Bluesy Mood” and “Not Done Yet: Shirley Chisholm’s Fight for Change.” Jesse Byrd, who wrote “King Penguin” (Paris Book Festival Top 3 Book of the Year), “Sunny Days,” “Real Jungle Tales” and more.  Peaches Dean, author of “Memories of My Mommy” and “Penelope B’s Great Mission.”  Alison Hawkins, who illustrated “The Noisy Classroom,” “What Would Fashion Look Like If It Included All of Us” and “Little People, Big Dreams: Nelson Mandela.”  Kelly Starling Lyons, who wrote “Going Down Home with Daddy” (Caldecott honor), “Ty’s Travels: Zip, Zoom!” (Geisel Honor Book) and many more.  Shelia P. Moses, who wrote “The Legend of Buddy Bush” (National Book Award finalist, Coretta Scott King award winner), “We Were the Fire: Birmingham 1963” and more.  Vanessa Brantley Newton, who illustrated the New York Times bestseller, “The King of Kindergarten,” and companion book, “The Queen of Kindergarten,” and more.  Alana Tyson

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ANDREA WEIGL

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