Philadelphia's 1st Black-owned bookstore to be historical landmark
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A West Philadelphia bookstore has been advocating the power of knowledge in the fight for racial justice for decades and now, they're making it into our state's history books. Hakim's Bookstore is the first and oldest Black-owned bookshop in Philadelphia.
In just a few weeks, the small storefront that houses hundreds of works by African American authors will receive a big honor. It will soon be bookmarked in Pennsylvania's history by an official blue and yellow historical marker.
"Yeah, and I always get teary-eyed because I just wish he were here to see it," Yvonne Blake said.
Blake is the daughter of Dawud Hakim, who in 1959 took the books he used to sell out of the trunk of his car and placed them on the shelves.
"One of the other books that he sold is 'Africa Is Not a Country," Blake said. "He used to tell us that all that time because so many people think Africa is a country and it's a continent."
Blake shares her father felt a calling to curate this library, to amplify our country's awareness of African American history that existed before slavery.
"My father said that we are the only people that quote on quote allow our enemy to educate our children and I think that's what really got him focused on selling books by and for African Americans," Blake said.
"I know he's not here, but he's still leaving something with anyone that comes through that door and leaves with a book in their hand," Blake added. "As an African American that this country and other places in the world have not given us our due. I think they get a sense we're not trying to take anything from anyone, but we just want to be given a fair chance to succeed."
The soon-to-be historical landmark plans to keep this message alive.
