A Philadelphia-based Black-owned bookstore is speaking out over Colin Kaepernick’s national book tour, saying a previously planned event was canceled after the National Association of Black Bookstores announced its own tour plans. The bookstore claims this will cost participating stores money.
Behind -the-Scenes Book Drama
Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books publicly criticized former NBA star and former Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, who founded NAB2 and serves as its board chair, over the handling of events surrounding Kaepernick’s new memoir, “The Perilous Fight.”
Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books is owned by Marc Lamont Hill, an author, political commentator, and professor at Temple University.
According to a statement shared by Uncle Bobbie’s on Instagram, the bookstore and several other booksellers had already organized events involving Kaepernick before the NAB2-backed tour was announced. The bookstore alleges that NAB2 was aware of those arrangements but proceeded with a separate tour, resulting in the cancellation of previously scheduled dates.
Uncle Bobbie’s said the cancellations created a financial burden for participating bookstores, The Jasmine Brand reported.
“As a result, multiple bookstores (including Black-owned stores) lost considerable revenue, and wasted valuable resources planning these events,” the bookstore said in its statement.
Uncle Bobbie’s said the NAB2’s stated mission is to support and strengthen Black-owned bookstores, but this move, he says, goes against that.
NAB2 is currently coordinating Kaepernick’s “The Perilous Fight” tour in partnership with Legacy Lit, the book’s publisher, which is under the Hachette Book Group umbrella. The association’s published schedule includes stops at or involving independent Black-owned bookstores in cities including Detroit, New Orleans, Atlanta, Sacramento, Oakland, Baltimore, Dallas, Houston, and Chicago.
Kaepernick’s memoir was officially released on Sept. 15. It is describes as a memoir and manifesto examining his football career, activism, identity, and the events surrounding his decision to kneel during pregame performances of the national anthem in 2016, which led to his not being picked up by an NFL team after he opted for free agency the following season.
The tour is also being promoted as a way to connect readers with Black-owned bookstores. Kaepernick’s official tour information specifically directs readers to support Black-owned bookstores when purchasing the book.
There are currently 306 Black-owned bookstores operating in the United States, according to the inaugural State of the Black Bookstore Report by the NAB2. The number of Black-owned bookstores in the U.S. has seen a comeback after falling from more than 325 stores in 1999 to just 54 by 2014.
