Bookverdict.com

It was no easy path, no "crystal stair," for Lewis Michaux. As one of 11 children of a prominent African American businessman and a nervous mother, in his younger years, he did not always stay on the right side of the law. His brother, Lightfoot, founded the Church of God, and Lewis was a deacon there for a few years, but his real p...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

Inspired by Marcus Garvey and the drive to make a difference, Lewis Michaux opened the National Memorial African Bookstore in Harlem at the end of the Great Depression with an inventory of five books and a strong faith that black people were hungry for knowledge. Over the next thirty-five years, his store became a central gathering place for African American writers, artists, intellectuals, and political figures, including Malcolm X, who frequently gave his speeches in front of the bookstore. But Michaux also sought to reach ordinary citizens, believing that pride and self-knowledge would grow naturally from an understanding of global black history and current events. He didn't just sell books; he surrounded his customers with ideas and provocative discussion. He also ...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

Opened at the end of the Great Depression, Michaux's National Memorial African Bookstore became a central gathering place fo...Log In or Sign Up to Read More