Local, independent bookstores have never been more important. With fair access to literature under political attack, bookstores are a bulwark against censorship and an asset to the communities they serve.

Each week we profile an independent bookstore, discovering what makes each one special and getting their expert book recommendations.

This week we have Sankofa Video, Books & Café in Washington, D.C.!

What’s your store’s story?

Named after the internationally acclaimed film SANKOFA (produced by the bookstore's founders, Haile and Shirikiana Gerima), Sankofa Video, Books & Café carries with it an expectation of quality and discovery. Founded in 1998, it specializes in videos and books about people of African descent around the world. Sankofa Video, Books & Cafe is nestled in the college campus corridor of Georgia Ave. in Washington, across from Howard University, two blocks from Benjamin Banneker Sr. High School.

Check out: USA TODAY's Independent Bookstores Map

What makes your independent bookstore special?

Sankofa is a community space that is most known for its vibe. Newcomers become regulars because we create an atmosphere of safety and peace with the added perk of featuring great books by and about people of African descent. Being an independent bookstore means having the freedom to curate a space and culture that is unique, personable and catered to the community in which it exists.

What's your favorite section in your store?

Our favorite section is the back area where we have a stage and projector which leads to our back patio. It's right between young adult and the spiritualism section. We have a rocking chair where patrons love to rock in and read. On a good sunny day the light streams in and it's a very calming experience.

What books do you love to recommend to customers and why?

We love to recommend "Wild Seed" by Octavia Butler, who is such a captivating writer. Her stories change you forever.

Others we recommend include:

  • "Quilt of Souls" by  Phyllis Biffle Elmore
  • "The Women Who Caught the Babies" by Eloise Greenfield (author) and Daniel Minter (illustrator)
  • "Ellington Was Not a Street" by Ntozake Shange
  • "Children of Anguish and Anarchy," the recently published third book in the Legacy of Orisha trilogy by Tomi Adeyemi

Why is shopping at local, independent bookstores important?

People should understand that supporting local means supporting themselves. Relying on companies that insist on having monopolies on several industries is dangerous because these companies don't have a vested interest in the community like the business owners and employees who live there do.

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