Photo by Grace Kenyon
In Bernard Reeves’ childhood home in Georgia, there weren’t many reading options, but there was a set of encyclopedias, which he recalls reading multiple times as a child.
“For me, just taking advantage of reading the encyclopedia took me to places that I never dreamed that I would ever go,” Reeves said, adding that he was lucky enough to visit some of the places he read about later in life.
In high school, his reading prospects expanded and he remembers reading “Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison, fascinated to encounter literature written by an African American man. Other books would follow, like the classics “The Fire Next Time” by James Baldwin and “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker. The opportunity to see himself reflected in literature and learn about his heritage is an opportunity he thinks is important for everyone.
This conviction eventually led him to open Harambee Books and Artworks, currently the only Black-owned bookstore in the D.C. area. They specialize in rare books by authors of African descent, but also sell artwork and other gifts.
Reeves originally came to Alexandria after a long career as an Air Force officer that culminated in a position at the Pentagon. With his roots established in Alexandria, he wanted to find a way to give back.
“And for me, the one of the best ways to do that is having literature available for the community,” Reeves said. “Because I think with knowledge and information, you're able to uplift the community and make the community whole, as it were — or human is maybe a better word.”
Harambee Books and Artworks opened in 2016 after a few years of doing pop-up events around the D.C. area. They’ve embraced the accessibility of being just a block away from King Street in a city enthusiastic about small businesses.
Harambee Books and Artworks specializes in out-of-print and hard-to-find books. The books on their shelves are mainly based on customer demand and customers often walk in the door because they are looking for something specific. Just about every spare bit of wall that isn’t filled with books has paintings by Black artists, several of whom Reeves has built relationships with during 30 years of art distribution.
Another avenue Reeves has found to give back to the community is through educational resources and community-based programing, like the creative literacy program called Barbershop Readers. This program came about through conversations with barbershop employees in Old Town who noticed a lot of young boys coming with their moms to get haircuts. Reeves started to donate books so that the boys, especially those raised by single mothers, would have access to literature by Black authors.
“We wanted them to take them home and spend time with those books and hopefully they would see images of persons that look like them,” Reeves said. The program flourished and expanded to other barbershops in the region before the pandemic forced them to downsize.
Next time you’re seeking for a new book, visit Harambee Books at 1132 Prince Street, and Reeves can recommend a good read (or ten). You can also browse their inventory of books, artwork, and other gifts online, or you can make donations to support the Barbershop Readers literacy program and stay tuned for other events.
Reeves isn’t in this business for lucrative sales. He’s here because of the mission embedded in the name of the store, a Swahili word that means “working together.”
“(We’re here because of) a love for the community,” Reeves said. “(Our passion is) to help others with knowledge and understanding persons of African descent and a willingness to extend ourselves for the good of the community.”
