Author: Katie Mitchell
A stunning visual homage to Black bookstores, featuring a selection of shops around the country alongside essays that celebrate the history, community, activism, and culture these spaces embody, with an original foreword by Nikki Giovanni.
Black literature is perhaps the most powerful, polarizing force in the modern American zeitgeist. Today—as Black novels draw authoritarian ire, as Black memoirs shape public debates, as Black polemics inspire protest petitions—it’s more important than ever to highlight the places that center these stories: Black bookstores.
Traversing teeming metropolises and tiny towns, Prose to the People explores a these spaces, chronicling these Black bookstore's past and present lives. Combining narrative prose, eye-catching photography, one-on-one interviews, original essays, and specially curated poetry, Prose to the People is a reader’s road trip companion to the world of Black books.
Thoughtfully curated by writer and Black bookstore owner Katie Mitchell, Prose to the People is a must-have addition to the shelves of anyone who loves book culture and Black history. Though not a definitive guide, this dynamic book centers profiles of over fifty Black bookstores from the Northeast to the mid-Atlantic, the South, and the West Coast, complete with stunning original and archival photography.
Interspersed throughout are essays, poems, and interviews by New York Times bestsellers Kiese Laymon, Rio Cortez, Pearl Cleage, and many more journalists, activists, authors, academics, and poets that offer deeper perspectives on these bookstores' role throughout the diaspora. Complete with a foreword by world-renowned poet and activist Nikki Giovanni, Prose to the People is a beautiful tribute to these vital pillars of the Black community.
Prose to the People: A Celebration of Black Bookstores
If you are not satisfied with your purchase, you may return it for a refund. We will issue a refund for the purchase price of the item plus any applicable taxes to your original form of payment for items returned within 30 days. All returned items must be in their brand new, original condition; shrink-wrapped products must be unopened. Shipping fees are not refunded.
Please send an email to orders@dabookjoint.com for a return authorization number.
When do you ship? Orders are shipped Monday – Friday.
Where do you ship to? We ship domestically as well as internationally. If you have a question about shipments, please email orders@dabookjoint.com.
How do you ship? Most of our orders ship via USPS. We will also use UPS at your request. Since we do ship most of our orders via USPS, our website will only allow you to choose that as a shipping option. However, there is a comments box on the shipping selection screen where you can write in your desired shipping method. Small orders going to Canada and internationally will almost always be sent by USPS to help save on shipping cost and brokerage fees. Orders going to APO/FPO boxes will also be sent via USPS.
Rates to ship? We charge a flat rate for shipping of $3.50 per book. Any orders over $50 will ship for free.
How to track an order that's been shipped? If a tracking number is available and an email address was provided at the time of order, you will receive an automated email from either UPS or USPS with your tracking number once the order ships.
Are the items in stock? All items are normally held in stock. However, we may sometimes run out due to sudden demand, in which case we will notify you and inform you of the date we expect to receive more stock.
What are the lead times? We aim to ship orders within 2 working days for domestic orders and 4 working days for international orders. However, this may sometimes be longer due to other circumstances such as order volume and backorders.