The Free Black Women's Library

[The Free Black Women's Library]

”In a way, her strangeness, her naïveté, her craving for the other half of her equation was the consequence of idle imagination. Had she paints, or clay, or knew the discipline of the dance, or strings; had she anything to engage her tremendous curiosity and her gift for metaphor, she might have exchanged the restlessness and preoccupation with whim for an activity that provided her with all she yearned for. And like any artist with no art form, she became dangerous.” - SULA by Toni Morrison 🖤

My daughter’s 10th grade English class is reading one of my favorite books. This is the second book by a Black woman that she’s been assigned since starting high school. I consider it slow progress as I wasn’t assigned one book written by a Black woman during my high school days. Although I read a bunch of Black women authors on my own, my first class required book was as a freshman in college, it was THE BLUEST EYE also by Toni Morrison, and analyzing its content with my white classmates was hella awkward. Despite that I loved it and it led me down a path of devouring her every word.
What was the first book by a Black woman that you were assigned to read in a class/course?
What impact did it have on you?
Did the story make sense?
Did you love it/hate it? Let me know 🤓📚

[The Free Black Women's Library]

The Free Black Women’s Library is an interactive biblio-installation that currently features over 900 books of varying genres written by Black women as well as visual art, film screenings, workshops, readings, book talk and critical conversations. The purpose/mission of the library is to center and celebrate the words, stories and lives of Black women from all over the world. The library pops up monthly and mainly in Brooklyn but has also been to Philadelphia, Detroit, Baltimore and Chicago.
To support the library feel free to send your favorite books by Black women to 1072 Bedford ave, box 39, Brooklyn, NY. To make a financial contribution which goes toward transportation and administrative costs as well as future website and app, you can make a donation to the crowdrise page. Thank you!!

[The Free Black Women's Library]

The Free Black Women’s Library installation at Nurture art gallery, Brooklyn, NY.

[The Free Black Women's Library]

So I’m really really excited for the next Free Black Women’s Library session happening at Studio Museum in Harlem today. This is a traveling biblio-installation of books written by Black women that I started collecting in 2015 and now have 850 books total.
All are welcome to stop by to check out and enjoy the collection as well as trade books with the library.
Please remember to bring only books written by Black women for trading.
Know that you do not need to bring books to attend or enjoy 😊
The library will be open from noon to 5 and I’m leading a short story telling session/workshop at 2.
I will be reading “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid and “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston ✨✨
There is also some gorgeous art currently in the museum so I highly recommend checking out their current exhibits as well, all in all it’s going to be a pretty awesome day, so come through!!

[The Free Black Women's Library]

Two years ago today I started The Free Black Women’s Library on a brownstone stoop in Bedstuy, Brooklyn with a dance for Oshun and 100 books. I only did once exchange that day!! Now I have over 700 books with multiple performances and presentations on Black feminism and womanism behind me, as well as hundreds and hundreds of exchanges under my belt!! I’m feeling so grateful and looking forward to more growth, study, and art making. Thank you to everyone that has supported this project from the start with good wishes, book exchanges and supportive vibes, you are a blessing.

[The Free Black Women's Library]

The Free Black Women’s Library - Spring News

Hey there folks, Happy Friday!!
Just wanted to share with you a few fun updates and super cool news items about the library.
I am really excited to share with you that the April’s edition of The Free Black Women’s Library features award winning author Angela Flournoy, reading from her best selling debut novel The Turner House!

       The Turner House was a finalist for the National Book Award and a New York Times notable book of the year. This novel was also a finalist for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Fiction and an NAACP Image Award. Angela is a National Book Foundation “5 Under 35” Honoree for 2015. Her fiction has appeared in The Paris Review, and she has written for The New York Times, The Nation, The Los Angeles Times, and elsewhere.

A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Flournoy received her undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California. She has taught at the University of Iowa, The New School and Columbia University. Flournoy is currently the Rona Jaffe Foundation Fellow at the New York Public Librry Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers.
        I am over the moon thrilled that this amazing author will be talking about her writing practice and reading excerpts of her gorgeous book for our next pop up session happening -

noon to 5pm
Sunday, April 2
Nurture Art Gallery,
56 Bogart Street, Brooklyn

Snacks & refreshments will be served.
All are welcome!!
        The library is part of an amazing exhibit at Nurture, brought to you by our friends from Culture Push called “The Archive of Affect”, it explores the impact and purpose of archives & storytelling.
The exhibit opened to a gorgeous packed house on March 17th and is up until April 16.  

This biblio-installation contains a custom made bookshelf, 120 books written by Black women, 10 Black and white portraits of Black women writer ancestors, and a running slideshow of photos of library pop ups from the past two years. Feel free to stop by the gallery anytime between noon and 6 Wednesday thru Sundays to visit or trade books with the library. All good books written by Black women are happily accepted!!

            Also want to share that I am extremely grateful to the wonderful folks of The Laundromat Project for choosing me to be their Create Change Commissions Artist this year!! WooHoo!!! I am looking for Black women, femmes and gender non-conforming folks to participate in a social art project I am launching entitled Black August: Cocoon, which explores the concepts of safe spaces, embodiment, rituals, pleasure, self care and creative expression. This project involves weekly meet ups for the month of August that feature self defense classes, art making, workshops, yoga/meditation and various body loving practices. Together we will create a zine dedicated to these concepts filled with art, photography, poetry, prose, strategies, information and resources that address the health, safety and liberation of Black women. The zine will be mass produced and sold, all proceeds will be donated to organizations that work for the support and safety of Black women. Much love to The Laundromat Project for their funding and supporting of me in this venture that I have been working on manifesting for a long time!!
Please contact me at ixesmama@gmail.com if you are interested in taking part.
All meet-ups will take place in Brooklyn on Sundays in August, snacks and refreshments will be served and childcare will be provided.
Lastly I wanted to share that three of my absolute favorite folks are coming out with books within the next few weeks and I highly recommend pre-ordering each one. These brilliant creatives have been working hard on bringing these notable texts into the world and I am eagerly looking forward to diving into what their beautiful minds and hearts have to offer.
They are
Liza Jessie Peterson -  All Day: A Year of Love and Survival Teaching Incarcerated Kids at Rikers Island  
adrienne marie brown  - Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds
Shantrelle Patrice Lewis  - Dandy Lion/ Black Dandy & Street Style
​I literally started tearing up while ordering these books this week a few days ago because not only does it feel good to see my friends thrive and give birth to ideas they have been working on for years, it also feels doubly amazing to support them.
I am so hyped to have these babies in my hands!!  
Reading books by Black women gives me joy, pleasure, healing, LIFE!!
​I am currently cuddling with the fierce imagination of
Kiini Salaam - When The World Wounds
​and the fearless heart of
Alexis Pauline Gumbs - Spill: Scenes of Black Feminist Fugivity
How about you, what books by Black women are you reading right now??
Send me a message letting me know!!
As usual thanks for the support and please continue to connect with me on Facebook, Tumblr, Soundcloud, Crowdrise and Instagram.
Please let me know if you would like to be removed from this list!!
As usual wishing you Peace, Blessings and Happy Reading!!

[The Free Black Women's Library]

The Free Black Women’s Library is part of an art exhibit called “The Archive of Affect” at Nurture Art Gallery, 56 Bogart Street.
This biblio Installation contains a custom made bookcase, 120 books written by Black women, 10 Black & white treasured ancestor portraits of Black women writers and a running slideshow of photos of library pop ups from the past two years.
Exhibit opens Friday March 17 and is up until April 13. ✨✨✨
#artexhibit #installation #bibliophile #interdisciplinary #bookstagram #mobilelibrary #bookcase #blackfeministlibrary
#blackwomanbibliophile #blackfeministpraxis #freeblackwomenslibrary #Brooklyn #nurtureart #blackwomenwriters

[The Free Black Women's Library]

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The Light Of The World featuring Trish

In this episode of The Free Black Women's Library I have the pleasure of engaging in conversation with a dear friend, brilliant teacher and avid reader. It was a joyful experience!!

The Free Black Women’s Library Podcast is up.

In this episode I talk to my dear friend Trish about books, language, audre lorde,  representation, poetry and the importance of expression.

Please give it a listen and let me know your thoughts!!

[The Free Black Women's Library]

This month The Free Black Women’s Library celebrates Women’s Herstory Month at the beautiful and historical landmark site “The Weeksville Heritage Center” where we’ll be discussing the book “Temple of my Familiar” in honor of brilliant wordsmith, activist and catalyst for womanist thinking Alice Walker.

Alice Walker gifted us a life affirming concept when she broke down the term Womanism back in 1983.

Alice Walker’s Definition of a “Womanist” from In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens: Womanist Prose Copyright 1983.
WOMANIST
1. From womanish. (Opp. of “girlish,” i.e. frivolous, irresponsible, not serious.) A black feminist or feminist of color. From the black folk expression of mothers to female children, “you acting womanish,” i.e., like a woman. Usually referring to outrageous, audacious, courageous or willful behavior. Wanting to know more and in greater depth than is considered “good” for one. Interested in grown up doings. Acting grown up. Being grown up. Interchangeable with another black folk expression: “You trying to be grown.“ Responsible. In charge. Serious.
2. Also: A woman who loves other women, sexually and/or nonsexually. Appreciates and prefers women’s culture, women’s emotional flexibility (values tears as natural counterbalance of laughter), and women’s strength. Sometimes loves individual men, sexually and/or nonsexually. Committed to survival and wholeness of entire people, male and female. Not a separatist, except periodically, for health. Traditionally a universalist, as in: “Mama, why are we brown, pink, and yellow, and our cousins are white, beige and black?” Ans. “Well, you know the colored race is just like a flower garden, with every color flower represented.” Traditionally capable, as in: “Mama, I’m walking to Canada and I’m taking you and a bunch of other slaves with me.” Reply: “It wouldn’t be the first time.”
3. Loves music. Loves dance. Loves the moon. Loves the Spirit. Loves love and food and roundness. Loves struggle. Loves the Folk. Loves herself. Regardless.
4. Womanist is to feminist as purple is to lavender.

Please join us on this gorgeous site as we discuss this gorgeous work and Womanism in general. Open your mind anc come share your thoughts.

The library currently contains over 600 books written by Black women, and all are availalable to you by trade. Bring a good book written by a Black woman to get a good book written by a Black woman!!
Also feel free to come and browse through, cuddle with, flip through and basically love up on the books in the library.

All ages, genders and races are welcome.