“Prose to the People,” by Katie Mitchell, is an affectionate tribute to Black bookstores, blending striking visuals with narrative prose that uplift the legacy, community, activism and cultural vibrancy of those spaces. The book also features an original foreword by Nikki Giovanni.
“My love for Black history, Black culture, and — most importantly — Black people, inspired ‘Prose to the People,’ Mitchell said.
The book profiles more than 50 Black bookstores across the country, blending powerful images, essays and poetry. The chapters take readers on a literary journey across the United States — highlighting both contemporary and historic spaces and figures, such as David Ruggles and the bookstore he opened in 1830s New York to James Fugate and Tom Hamilton who opened Eso Won Books in 1980s Los Angeles.
“When you step foot into a Black bookstore, it’s colorful, full of art and beautiful book covers,” Mitchell said. “There’s multiple genres, multiple voices and multimedia.”
“The same is true of ‘Prose to the People.’ That’s my favorite part, that so many people lent their voices, photos, ephemera and love to this book. It’s bursting with all of our memories and knowledge.”
Books have played a meaningful role in Mitchell’s life since childhood, so it felt essential to her to shine a light on an institution that has often gone overlooked.
“I see the Black bookstore as transformative, as transformative as the Black church or the Black college, but I found that unlike these other institutions, they’ve been understudied,” Mitchell said. “And I found it deeply ironic that the story of the Black bookstore hadn’t been told in book form. These spaces hold our history, but no one has told their history. It was important for me to correct that.”
The book will be enjoyed by readers who value Black intellect, creativity and legacy.
“There are so many lessons in ‘Prose to the People’s’ pages that readers can take from our elders and ancestors who faced unspeakable oppression,” Mitchell said. “With the current administration, it’s easy to feel despair, but I hope readers gain the tools to fight the attacks on Black life and Black thought that we face today.”
In addition to being an author, Mitchell is a bookseller. She’s based in Atlanta. For more information about the author and her work, visit prosetothepeople.com, goodbooksatl.com, or Instagram @goodbooksatl.com.
“Prose to the People” is available for $26.99 wherever books are sold.
