Less than 6% of bookstores in the United States are Black-owned. These spaces don’t just house stories—they are home to dreams, representation, and access. Since 2019, BLACKLIT has been on a mission to close the literacy gap, increase representation, and create spaces where our community feels seen and valued.

As the first and only Black-owned bookstore in Farmers Branch, Texas, BLACKLIT has served thousands of readers, showcased hundreds of Black authors, and built a community grounded in representation and belonging. But now, BLACKLIT has been forced to close its doors due to harassment, privacy breaches, and negligence from property management and local authorities.

This isn’t just about one store—it’s about the families, students, and community members who have lost a vital safe space that championed their voices and stories. This is also about a systemic problem that disproportionately affects Black-owned businesses, especially cultural hubs like bookstores that provide representation and opportunity in underserved communities.

What is at stake?
If BLACKLIT remains closed, we lose more than a bookstore—we lose a cultural hub that nurtures connection, empowerment, and change. We lose a space where children could discover stories that reflect their dreams, where authors could amplify their voices, and where the community could gather to feel safe and inspired.

But this is bigger than BLACKLIT. Did you know that 30 years ago, there were more than 200 Black-owned bookstores in the U.S.? Today, that number has dropped to fewer than 130. This drastic decline reflects a larger systemic issue that has suffocated Black-owned businesses for far too long.

We are currently pursuing legal action against Willow Bridge Property Company to hold them accountable for their harassment, breaches of tenant privacy, and other negligent actions that led to BLACKLIT’s closure. This lawsuit is about seeking justice for BLACKLIT and ensuring no other small business has to endure what we’ve faced.

If we don’t take a stand, more spaces like BLACKLIT will be erased. On the other hand, reopening BLACKLIT means more than just reopening a bookstore—it means reclaiming our power, preserving Black stories, and creating new opportunities for education, growth, and connection.

Why is now the time to act?
The time to act is now because this is about more than one store—it’s about ensuring Black voices and spaces are not silenced. There is power in community.

By signing this petition, you’re helping us demand accountability from Willow Bridge Property Company and Midway Urban Village. You’re calling attention to the broader inequities Black-owned businesses face. And most importantly, you’re helping us write the next chapter for BLACKLIT.

Black bookstores don’t have to die—but we need your voice and your action to ensure they thrive. Let’s protect BLACKLIT, preserve Black stories, and remind the world that our voices matter.

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