This Black History Month, it is essential to support local Black-owned businesses. In this article, I will highlight one of Austin’s top bookstores.
Black Pearl Books is Austin’s first Black woman-owned bookstore, whose story is all about resilience and community support. The shop’s owner, Katrina Brook, started the bookstore from her family’s living room in 2019 and has since grown to become one of Austin’s most beloved bookstores with a perfect 5/5 rating on Yelp and over 23,000 followers across its social media platforms. When questioned about the success of her bookstore, Katrina’s daughter, Elisha, mentioned, “Seeing people’s recognition of the name or mentioning they love the store has helped me truly realize what they built over the past 6 years.”
Black Pearl Books hosts monthly events aimed at educating the community, raising awareness, and fostering meaningful discussions about black culture and stories of perseverance. Most notably, their upcoming event, ‘The Shades of Black Folk’ discussion, featuring UT Distinguished Teaching Professor Dr. Leonard Moore, will talk about the negative effects that colorism has within the Black community. Not only that, but the bookstore has provided people with a safe space for advocacy, such as protestors using their space to write posters for the recent ICE protests in Austin. The community’s support is evident. One Yelp reviewer wrote, “Black Pearl Books is more than a bookstore. It is a space filled with culture, connection, and inspiration.”
Another way Black Pearl Books sets itself apart is by selling banned books. Book banning is nothing new, but it has become a more prevalent issue ever since Texas banned the teaching of critical race theory in schools. Numerous books, such as Assata, Invisible Man, and The New Jim Crow (all available at Black Pearl Books) that depict black people’s struggles and successes, have been banned in school libraries. This lack of representation of Black culture in children’s books is something that Black Pearl Books has taken upon itself to address. In collaboration with the 100 Black Men of Austin, the bookstore was able to give bundles of books to Title 1 schools. Elisha explained, “I was able to hear the teachers talk about how excited their students would be to see kids that look like them in books.”
Supporting Black woman-owned businesses such as Black Pearl Books goes beyond making a purchase; it is an investment in community, representation, and resistance. Through its commitment to education, advocacy, and amplifying marginalized voices, Black Pearl Books has created more than a bookstore; it has built a space where Black stories are preserved, celebrated, and shared. This Black History Month, choosing to support Black Pearl Books is a meaningful way to honor Black history while actively contributing to its future.