Black Books Matter Day Proclaimed in Prince George's County, Maryland

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - Aug. 9, 2021 - PRLog -- Black Books Matter Day is an official day in Prince George's County, Maryland. County Executive Angela Alsobrooks issued the proclamation to MahoganyBooks co-owners Derrick and Ramunda Young, in honor of the grand opening of their flagship bookstore at National Harbor on August 7, 2021. Black Books Matter Day celebrates Black books, Black authors, and the lived experiences of Black people, and recognizes the literary contributions of Black people from around the world.

"For many years, it was illegal for African-Americans to read in this country. Many Black people were killed simply for reading. Black Books Matter Day celebrates and honors the legacies of our ancestors, preserves Black history, and inspires the next generation of scholars and leaders who desire to positively impact their communities. Our mission is to promote reading, writing, and cultural awareness as tools to improve self-esteem, self-love, and ultimately our communities," stated Derrick and Ramunda Young, co-owners and co-founders of MahoganyBooks.

In observance of Black Books Matter Day, the first Saturday of August, anyone can celebrate by:

• Reading a book by a Black author
• Gifting a young person a book written by a Black author
• Supporting a Black independent book store
• Sharing with a child a book where the central character/protagonist is a Black child
• Joining a book club that reads Black authors

MahoganyBooks (https://www.mahoganybooks.com/) is an award-winning New York Times reporting bookstore specializing in books written for, by, or about people of the African Diaspora. Husband and wife duo Derrick and Ramunda Young founded MahoganyBooks in 2007 as an online bookstore. In 2017, MahoganyBooks opened its first physical location in the historic Anacostia community in Washington, D.C., becoming the first bookstore to do so in over two decades. In January, President Barack Obama virtually surprised members of the MahoganyBooks & Very Smart Brothas Book Club.

About MahoganyBooks

Started in 2007 by husband and wife, Derrick and Ramunda Young, MahoganyBooks is the fastest growing online bookstore for people of the African Diaspora. It has grown from being exclusively an online bookstore to opening the doors of their first physical location in the historic Washington, DC neighborhood of Anacostia. Derrick and Ramuda's love for culture, community, and connection and their desire to see books empower others as it had empowered them. Over the years, MahoganyBooks has connected readers to writers for exciting and thought-provoking literary events with the likes of the late U.S. Representative John Lewis, Walter Mosley, Chimamanda Adichie, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Misty Copeland, Gabrielle Union, and D.C.'s "Mayor for Life" Marion Barry among others.