Toward the end of last year, I attended the National Women Studies Association (NWSA) Conference in Baltimore, where the theme was “40 Years After Combahee: Feminist Scholars and Activists Engage the Movement for Black Lives.”
The keynote session that kicked off the conference was a conversation between Dr. Angela Davis and Alicia Garza, two courageous leaders, one even iconic, who offer clarity on how issues of injustice, systematic oppressive conditions and institutions that engage in marginalizing practices must be resisted and transformed.
In other words, these women are BOLD, and those are the types of people and leaders that get my attention — like my mentor and friend, Dr. Pat Payne. When she speaks, I listen closely and learn, because her truth has universal implications and she walks her talk, which is rare. Her office is filled with wall-to-wall books about Black people throughout the diaspora.
While attending the conference I chose a session with a title I found so compelling that I didn’t care that it met on a Saturday morning at 8 a.m. In fact, I was so excited I showed up a little early.
The session was called, “The Free Black Women’s Library: Birthing Community, Liberation and Joy.” My high expectations were met as I learned of an interactive traveling library in Brooklyn, started by Olaronke Akinmowa, right out of her home.
Once a month in a number of public spaces throughout New York City such as parks, churches and community centers, she brings a significant part of her 600-book collection in every genre written by Black women where people can pick up a book, hear a reading, watch a performance, participate in a workshop or critical conversation and, depending on the location, even view a film screening. She started with just setting up right outside of her brownstone, and then she went on the move, with a cart. Right now she is looking to raise some money to purchase a van so she can move her book collection around with more ease.
You can find information on The Free Black Women’s Library on all manners of social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter — I follow them all. But she has been doing this for at least a few years, which shows you the level of her dedication to this project.
All types of people come each month, regardless of background, all learning about the literary genius of Black women. There is no cost, and the only requirement is that when you select a book to take with you, you must have one to exchange that adds to the collection, so Olaronke’s collection continues to grow and grow. It is efforts like this that make a real difference in community growth, especially for children. If you want them to aspire to greatness, make the models accessible; that is exactly what happens with The Free Black Women’s Library. It is not static, dictated by those unfamiliar with our works, as is often the case with some public and school libraries. Even only occurring once a month, it has become an event that many people, families, look forward to attending, and through social media there is a constant flow of information and ideas.
These are the types of projects and programs we need to address some of the challenges in our community, those that are creative and uplifting with an obvious purpose.
Dr. Terri Jett is an associate professor of political science and special assistant to the provost for diversity and inclusivity at Butler University. Comments can be sent to tjett@butler.edu.
