The Free Black Women's Library, is an interactive Black Feminist mobile trading library and interactive biblio installation that features a collection of 2000 books written by Black women. The library is committed to centering and celebrating the voices of Black Women in literature. This mobile library pops up monthly in unique and radical spaces throughout Brooklyn, NYC and has also been to Detroit, Chicago, Philadelphia and Baltimore. PLEASE EMAIL me directly at thefreeblackwomenslibrary@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments about this project.
Join us on the New Moon in Leo, Saturday August 11th at 4.30pm for a special ritual in honor of Black women, girls and femmes. Defend Black Womanhood is happening on August 11th at the corner of Nostrand and Fulton, right by the A train entrance. Please wear pink or white, and be ready to take part in a procession and ritual in honor of Black women, girls and femmes who’ve been victims of state violence, racism and patriarchy. Bring names, photographs, sound makers and altar items. This is a heart based action in honor of Black August and the many lives that have been lost and stolen. 💕
We are back at one of our Bedstuy faves for this month’s pop up!! Join us for some freshly brewed tea and liberating literature based conversation on Sunday, December 22nd from noon to 4 Brooklyn Tea
Come check out and enjoy The Free Black Women’s Library vast gorgeous collection of books written by Black women
Bring a good book written by a Black woman to donate or trade.
Purchase a TFBWL T-shirt, button, sticker or poster.
This is our last installation in what has been a long, busy challenging and amazing year.
So grateful for the growth, support and appreciation!!
Sending so much LOVE to all our patrons on Patreon without you this project could not be, thank you so sooooooo much!!
May the Goddess continue to bless me with gorgeous days like today. Thank you so much to everyone that came out to visit The Free Black Women’s Library mini pop up at TAMA street fair. Today was delicious and sweet 💕 see you tomorrow at Black Love Fest at Sugar Hill Museum
Next up for the The Free Black Women’s Library a very special arts festival at Brooklyn Arts Exchange in Park Slope!! The Helix Queer Performance Network Submerge Festival is an annual celebration of queer and trans artists of color, and this year curator Naimonu Jones has assembled an electric program of theater, performance, video, dance, and installation entitled “Will you?” an array of exploration and expression that centers Black Femme artists, politics and space. Excited for this iteration of the library which will feature an installation of the 450 book collection, soundscapes, imagery and performance.
Festival details
Festival Schedule: Sunday, November 6 @ 6pm: Taja Lindley
Friday, November 11 @ 8pm: marikiscrycrycry/Malik Nashad Sharpe Mette Loulou von Kohl Salome Asega
Saturday, November 12 @ 8pm: coda wei Mieke D Katherine Marie Salome Asega
“The planet is a big daunting place. It is easy to feel at the whim of the universe. We have been convinced we are in effectual at exacting any real change against our social systems and structures, so instead we land the guilt and blame squarely on the shoulders of the most accessible party: ourselves. This burden has kept us immobile in our own lives and oblivious to our impact in the world. The weight of the shame has kept us small and trapped in the belief that our bodies and our lives are mistakes. What an exhausting and disheartening way to live. It was this sense of epic discouragement that fueled my inquiry into the nature of apology and let me to explore how our lives might look different if we began living unapologetically. What would the world look like if each of us navigated our lives with the total awareness that we owed no one an apology for our bodies? That exploration into unapologetic living led me to a two-tiered hypothesis my hunch was the more unapologetically I showed up in my body, in my community, my job, family, and world, one of two things would happen: either I would pass on to others the power and permission to be there unapologetic selves, or others would feel indicted and intimidated by my unapologetic being and would attempt to contain or shrink me.” - THE BODY IS NOT AN APOLOGY by Sonya Renee Taylor
I will be referencing this wonderful book for our next session. It offers deep exploration and sweet guidance on radical self love.
I really appreciate the political analysis within her reflections, e.g. - “our beliefs about bodies disproportionately impact those whose race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, and age deviate from our default notions. The further from the default, the greater the impact. We are all affected but not equally.” It’s important to note the role that racism and patriarchy play when discussing ideas around self love. The psychic trauma that society inflicts on certain bodies make a difference in that process.
Join me 8/26 @bedstuyy The library will be in the courtyard, all are welcome to come check out the collection, hang out in the space and trade books by Black women.
May the Goddess continue to bless me with gorgeous days like today. Thank you so much to everyone that came out to visit The Free Black Women’s Library mini pop up at TAMA street fair. Today was delicious and sweet 💕 see you tomorrow at Black Love Fest at Sugar Hill Museum
Today Sunday June 24 the official summer session for The Free Black Women’s Library pop up!! It’s happening at BedVyne Brew on the corner of Putnam and Tompkins from noon to 5. We are celebrating the life of my dear friend Dumeha and conjuring playful summer time love vibes in her honor. Feel free to bring your jump rope, deck of cards, chess set and board games. You are also welcome to trade books by Black women with the library, read, write and chill. All are welcome.
These photos of the gorgeous and talented Hazel Scott from the 1940s are the inspiration for this months library installation happening at one of our favorite community gardens in Bedstuy, Brooklyn.
Join us Saturday, August 28 at 462 Halsey for our Summer Garden Frolic. 🌱☀️🌷
All are invited to come spend time in the garden to
- forage for herbs, edible flowers, vegetables and fruit.
- check out The Free Black Women’s Library vast book collection
- trade good books written by Black women and Black non binary writers
- rest, reflect and connect with nature.
As always this event is free and open to the public Masks are required for all, whether you are vaccinated or not, and we will be practicing social distancing. This biblio installation will be up from noon to 5pm. See you then!!
The Free Black Women’s Library is a Black Feminist/Womanist socio-literary art project that features a collection of over three thousand books written by Black women and Black non binary authors. The library also features creative workshops, readings, performances, film screenings, critical conversations and a monthly reading club.
Each month we invite book lovers of every race, age and gender to come check out the collection and trade good books written by Black women.
To support the growth and sustainability of this project you can become a member of our Patreon, buy some of our merchandise or send us books!! Thank you!!
Very very busy day for the library at AP.
Didn’t take enough pictures.
Engaged in long conversations on Afrofuturism, Womanism, writing rituals, anti-Blackness, patriarchy, audre lorde, Assata, bell hooks, June Jordan, Gwendolyn Brooks, Zora Neale Hurston, Jesmyn Ward, Octavia Butler, Vanessa German, Carrie Mae Weems, Joan Little, And so much more, mainly Black Feminism is a spiritual practice that is active, healing, powerful, revolutionary, pleasure centered, loving, radical, complex, inclusive and creative.
Thank you so much to Lenoi Tiffany, Tracee Brown and Heidi Lopez who spoke to the masses of people who stopped by with their many questions!!
They held down the crowd and library with beauty, grace and Love.
Super latergram share of a few photos from the last library mini pop up at the annual Youth Summit event, Scamming The Patriarchy which took place at the New Museum, Saturday April 13.
Thank you so much to @newmuseum for inviting me to be a part of this awesome gathering.
It was a day of nerdy heart based Black Feminist led conversations for me with young folks on the impact and importance of Black Women’s literature and livelihood. We talked about Jordan, Lorde, Morrison, Conde, Smith, Danticat, Bambara. As well as the connections between capitalism, poverty patriarchy, abuse and incarceration. Folks stopped by to trade books, but I mostly gave books away, cause I can’t resist feeding the passion and interest of young folks. I went with 5 full boxes and went home with 4 cause I can’t deny them what they want/need 😬😬
The youth of today are on fire and part of my purpose is to fan their flames.
Thank you to everyone that stopped by, all this gorgeous book loving beauty truly made my day!! Next up we’re at Brooklyn Tea on Sunday, April 28, from noon to 5. See you then!!
Looking forward to sharing my favorite Hoodoo Stories gathered by novelist, folklorist, legendary anthropologist and TFBWL muse Zora Neale Hurston on Sunday, October 31 at our next TFBWL session in honor of Hoodoo Heritage Month.
Join us at The Plaza at 300 Ashland in Fort Greene, Brooklyn for a special collaboration with our friends from The Center of Fiction.
Folks are welcome to come dressed as their favorite author or character to compete for prizes, as well as bring good books written by Black women to trade with the collection from noon to 5.
