Black Bookstore Day launches August 29 in Wichita
Latasha N. Eley Kelly, owner of Wichita-based independent bookstore Left on Read, founded the annual celebration.
The following announcement is based on a press release from Left on Read.
WICHITA — The inaugural Black Bookstore Day will take place Saturday, August 29, 2026, launching an annual observance recognizing the history, cultural significance, and continued impact of Black-owned bookstores.
Founded by Latasha N. Eley Kelly, owner of Wichita-based independent bookstore Left on Read, Black Bookstore Day will be observed annually on the last Saturday in August. The day honors the people and bookstores that have made space for Black literature, ideas, culture, and community across generations while encouraging continued support for Black-owned bookstores.
The Wichita celebration will kick off at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Left on Read, 2721 E. Central Ave., Suite 121. Former Wichita Black bookstore owners Maaskelah Thomas and Curtis Whitten will be in attendance.
“Black Bookstore Day is rooted in a history that extends far beyond any one bookstore,” Eley Kelly said. “Black-owned bookstores have long been places where our communities gather, learn, create, organize, and see ourselves reflected. This observance is about ensuring that history is known, recognized, and respected, while honoring those carrying that work forward today.”
Ahead of the inaugural celebration, Black Bookstore Day received official recognition from both the state of Kansas and the City of Wichita. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly signed a proclamation recognizing August 29, 2026, as Black Bookstore Day in Kansas, while the City of Wichita issued a proclamation recognizing Black Bookstore Day annually on the last Saturday in August.
Black-owned bookstores across the country are participating in ways that reflect their businesses and communities, including events, promotions, curated displays, and efforts to amplify fellow Black-owned bookstores. Readers, organizations, publishers, authors, bookstores in solidarity, and others are encouraged to participate by supporting and sharing the work of Black-owned bookstores.
In Wichita, Left on Read will mark the inaugural Black Bookstore Day with a ribbon cutting at its new Revolutsia location.
“August 29 is the celebration, but the goal is for people to connect with these bookstores and build relationships that continue well after the day is over,” Eley Kelly said. “Shop with them. Attend their events. Recommend them. Follow their work. Then, do it again.”
Related coverage in The SHOUT
Photos: Left on Read's new location
Announcements are submissions from arts and cultural organizations and community members. They are published at the discretion of SHOUT editors and may be edited. Send press releases and other announcements to emily@shoutwichita.com.
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