MahoganyBooks explained

MahoganyBooks
Type:Independent bookstore
Area Served:Washington metropolitan area
Industry:Bookselling
Genre:Works by African diaspora

MahoganyBooks is an independent bookstore specializing in works by the African diaspora. It was established as an online store in 2007 by Derrick and Ramunda Young. They opened a physical location at the Anacostia Arts Center in 2017 and a second location in National Harbor, Maryland opened on Juneteenth in 2021.[1]

History

MahoganyBooks is a Black-owned company cofounded by Derrick and Ramunda Young.[2] It was established in 2007 as an online bookstore operating out of the Youngs' one-bedroom apartment in Alexandria, Virginia.[3] In November 2017, they opened a 500 square feet location at the Anacostia Arts Center. The bookshop is named after their daughter.[4] [5] The Youngs opened MahoganyBooks as "a protest movement" aimed at empowering the Black community.[6] The store specializes in works by the African diaspora.[7] MahoganyBooks is the first D.C. bookshop to open east of the Anacostia River since the Pyramid Books chain closed in the mid-1990s.[8] [9] The logo is a silhouette of a girl with Afro puffs reading a book.

In 2020, MahoganyBooks won a $5,000 "Resilient Together" grant from Cities of Service, the District of Columbia Office of Planning, and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation. The funds supported a yearlong series, Black Books Matter: From the Writer's Perspective which featured writings by Ward 8 residents. On January 26, 2021, former U.S. president Barack Obama joined the MahoganyBook book club's Black History Month virtual kickoff meeting.[10]

In 2021, a second location opened on Juneteenth in National Harbor, Maryland.[1] [11]

External links

38.8669°N -76.9887°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Clabaugh. Jeff. 2021-02-12. MahoganyBooks will open 2nd location at National Harbor. 2021-02-13. WTOP. en. 2021-02-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20210212153125/https://wtop.com/business-finance/2021/02/mahoganybooks-will-open-second-location-at-national-harbor/. live.
  2. Web site: Vinopal. Courtney. 2017-12-20. Anacostia's First New Bookstore in 20 Years Hopes to Reflect the Diversity of Its Community. 2021-02-04. Washingtonian. en-US. 2021-01-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20210128093553/https://www.washingtonian.com/2017/12/20/at-mahoganybooks-owners-derrick-and-ramunda-young-hope-to-reflect-the-diversity-of-their-community/. live.
  3. Web site: Green. Alex. November 13, 2017. MahoganyBooks to Open in Washington D.C.. 2021-02-04. Publishers Weekly. en. 2021-08-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20210801082154/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/75370-mahoganybooks-to-open-in-washington-d-c.html. live.
  4. Web site: Overstreet. Jennifer. July 21, 2020. How MahoganyBooks adapted to the pandemic and racial justice movement. 2021-02-04. National Retail Federation. en. 2021-02-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20210204024041/https://nrf.com/blog/how-mahoganybooks-adapted-pandemic-and-racial-justice-movement. live.
  5. Web site: Beckham. Aja. January 25, 2020. MahoganyBooks Is Accepting Submissions For A New Content Series Reflecting On 2020. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210206013843/https://dcist.com/story/21/01/25/mahogany-books-grant-for-ward-8-writers/. 2021-02-06. 2021-02-03. DCist. en.
  6. Web site: Song. Jean. June 25, 2020. Bookstore owners urge readers to go "beyond the book" as anti-racist titles fly off shelves. 2021-02-04. CBS News. en-US. 2021-02-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20210203194816/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mahoganybooks-readers-beyond-book-anti-racist-book-sales/. live.
  7. Weir. Keziah. May 24, 2018. This Trailblazing Black-Owned Bookstore Is Starting Conversations in D.C.. 2021-02-04. Vanity Fair. en-us. 2021-02-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20210227004400/https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2018/05/mahogany-books-black-owned-bookstore-dc. live.
  8. Web site: Randall. Kayla. 2018-03-21. MahoganyBooks, Anacostia's First New Bookstore in More Than 20 Years, Celebrates a New Chapter. 2021-02-04. Washington City Paper. en-US. 2021-02-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20210208030658/https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/324818/mahoganybooks-anacostias-first-new-bookstore-in-more-than-20-years-celebrates-a-new-chapter/. live.
  9. Web site: Swalec. Andrea. February 10, 2018. Black Bookstore Opens in Southeast DC 'Book Desert'. 2021-02-04. NBC4 Washington. en-US. 2021-02-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20210209160144/https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/black-bookstore-opens-in-southeast-dc-book-desert/142537/. live.
  10. Web site: Volou. Khalida. Leshan. Bruce. February 2, 2021. Former President Barack Obama surprises members of local DC book club. 2021-02-04. WUSA9. en-US. 2021-02-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20210204010150/https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/dc/barack-obama-book-club-surprise-mahogany-bookstore-dc/65-8eb2db65-b0ae-4430-8025-cce950a1092f. live.
  11. Web site: Henry. John. February 11, 2021. Popular black-owned bookstore plans to open second DMV location. 2021-02-13. WUSA9. en-US. 2021-02-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20210212074939/https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/dc/popular-black-owned-bookstore-announces-plans-to-open-second-local-location/65-7ee3edbb-941b-4b95-b1b3-6bbf447e6281. live.

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