This bookstore and café, dedicated to Black, PoC, and LGBTQI+ authors, has been working towards a brick-and-mortar shop for years and plans to open this Summer! In the meantime, Café Noir has partnered with Crosstown Concourse to host Literature is Liberating Fest on Saturday, February 4th from 11am to 5pm. The festival celebrates Black authors and African American literature with panel discussions, author signings, and more.
Vendors, arts & crafts, and DJ Alpha Whiskey will be set up in the Central atrium for the length of the festival. On the second floor, there will be youth activities hosted by food scientist and children’s author Ali Manning, including a reading hour and a writing workshop. Finally, in the East Atrium, there will be a series of speakers, beginning with a discussion on African American literature with professors Dr. Jacqueline Trimble, Dr. Shelby Crosby, and Dr. Terrence Tucker. This will be followed by a book discussion with public historian Michelle Duster and a spoken word performance by Memphis native Nubia Yasin, who will also sign her debut collection, The Blood and Body.
For links to these and other lifelong learning opportunities in Memphis, please visit our Facebook page or check out our website.
