There’s a huge need for Black-owned bookstores in the US. And it’s a need that’s just got bigger after North Carolina’s very first had to shutter in less than a year, due to violent threats.
Victoria Scott-Miller opened her shop with her husband in June, 2023. It focussed on publications for Black kids after her own failed to find any that suited their interests. And it turned into a massive success story, with thousands of locals turning up for the opening day, and media rushing to tell the tale.
However, also from day one, the family started getting death threats. They’ve now got so bad Victoria’s decided to close down and hunt for new premises. It’s a shocking situation. Out of the 2,500 independently run bookstores in the US, less than 150 are Black owned. And now there’s one less.