A crowd gathers inside Afriware Books during a One Book, One Proviso event Village Free Press hosted in 2019. | File
August 28, 2023 | By Michael Romain
One of the oldest and most prominent Black-owned bookstores in Illinois is in danger of closing if critical funding isn’t secured soon, its owner says.
In an open letter published Aug. 26, Nzingha Nommo, the founder of Afriware Books, located in Eisenhower Tower, 1701 S. 1st Ave. (Suite 400) in Maywood, wrote the bookstore “has done all we can do at this point. Our expenses have long overrun our income. While I’m trying to remain hopeful, I will need your help.”
Nommo also created a GoFundMe campaign and is seeking to raise $30,000. As of Sunday evening, she had raised nearly $6,000 from roughly 70 donations. Nommo confirmed on Aug. 27 that she created the campaign.
“Before the book bans, we always carried Black books,” Nommo wrote. “Before the African History cancellations, we’ve preserved it. But unfortunately, we’ve gotten to the point that we are unable to carry this load much further without a strong showing of immediate financial support.
“Our rent has not been paid for this month. We are actively considering scaling down dramatically by moving from in-person to online-only operations. We are also considering your suggestions for strategic partnerships.”
Nommo started Afriware Books 30 years ago. Formerly located in Oak Park, the bookstore moved to its Eisenhower Tower location in Maywood roughly a decade ago. Five years ago, the bookstore expanded its fourth-floor footprint, adding a children’s room and a Black comics section. Nommo also partnered with AKIBA Bookstore to add a satellite location inside Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago’s Southside.
But since then, Nommo said that her business has lacked the support of institutional clients like local school districts and libraries.
“In the last few months, we’ve approached several school districts asking if we could supply books for them, and most have not responded,” Nommo wrote. “In spite of the largely African American student make-up, we were urging administrators to decide to reflect this same demographic in their vendor contracts for book orders. This is not a charity request. We are a high-quality business willing and able to fulfill these contracts. However, the overwhelming majority have not been forthcoming.”
Nommo said while she’s planning some fundraising activities in “a month or two … we no longer have the luxury of time,” adding that the store’s current financial crisis “is serious, and close to final … to avoid a potential sale or closure of the business.”
According to a comprehensive list compiled by the African American Literature Book Club, there could be fewer than 200 Black-owned bookstores in the United States.
To donate to Nommo’s GoFundMe campaign, visit: rb.gy/67irq
