Diversity in the Stacks: Hakim’s Bookstore partnership enhances local Philadelphia offerings

The Penn Libraries recently collaborated with Hakim’s Bookstore, the oldest Black-owned bookstore on the East Coast and a West Philadelphia neighbor, to purchase hundreds of distinctive books curated by Hakim’s expert staff. Hakim’s historic significance and mission make this partnership an important addition to the Libraries’ Local Philadelphia initiative, through which funds are directed to mission-driven independent bookstores in Philadelphia. These collaborations support bibliodiversity, build connections with our neighbors, and build unique collections supporting research and teaching at Penn. Furthermore, the collaborations, and our work with Hakim’s in particular, align with the emphases of Penn’s strategic framework, In Principle and Practice, on strengthening neighborhood connections and supporting diverse communities at Penn.

In 1959, Dawud Hakim opened Hakim’s House of Knowledge Bookstore near the corner of 52nd and Walnut streets on a business corridor serving the Black community in West Philadelphia. Dismayed by negative portrayals of Black history and culture prevalent in mid-20th century schools and media, he sold books that emphasized Black agency, influence, and culture in Africa and throughout the diaspora. He carefully curated and sourced the books he sold, which at the time were not available in local libraries or bookstores. The bookstore’s mission became to promote this counternarrative and provide a space for community members to discuss it.

In the 2020s, Hakim’s Bookstore and Giftshop, still located near the corner of 52nd and Walnut streets and now managed by Hakim’s daughter, Yvonne Blake, was in danger of closing because of strictures required by the pandemic. Multiple news outlets, including the Daily Pennsylvanian, reported on the bookstore’s historic importance and situation. Hakim’s successfully turned to online sales, leveraging national support of Black-owned businesses and interest in anti-racist literature to generate revenue until foot traffic returned to normal. In 2023, Hakim’s received a Historic Marker recognizing it as the first Black-owned bookstore in Philadelphia and a gathering space for civil rights and Black activism.

Hakim’s continues to carry out its mission today by providing carefully curated books emphasizing the dynamism and importance of Black history and culture. Hakim’s carries books about Black history, African and diasporic religions, and holistic healthcare. It also carries uplifting books for children and young adults, including many of the same books that were sold by Dawud Hakim in 1959. The continuity in Hakim’s stock makes the store an evolving time capsule of material sold throughout its 65 years of operations. Titles available today provide insight into what appealed to Hakim’s customers in the 1970s, for example. As such, the Libraries’ collection provides insight into decades of readership in Black West Philadelphia and serves a unique research purpose.

Some books carried by Hakim’s, such as children’s books, did not fit the scope of Libraries collecting until recently.  Through our collaboration, the Libraries acquired copies of every children’s book handled by Hakim’s and over half of its books for adult audiences.

Among the books are many that introduce young readers to Black history from a Black perspective. For example, these three books are notable for their topics and authors: The ABCs of Black History and A Child’s Introduction to African American History are written by prominent black authors known for their works of fiction and poetry, while Malcolm Little: The Boy Who Grew Up to Become Malcolm X is written by social activist Ilyasah Shabazz, Malcolm X’s daughter.

In discussing her pathbreaking board book Happy to be Nappy, bell hooks notes that race and gender stereotypes affect even the youngest children and explains that this book furthers the same goals as her scholarly publications about feminism, race, and intersectionality. Likewise, Hakim’s furthers these goals by bringing attention to and providing access to the books in West Philadelphia. Prior to this partnership, the Libraries did not own most of these books, which were published before the Notable Children’s and Young Adult Books initiative began.

Besides children’s books, the Libraries purchased a trove of adult books oriented toward a Black audience and taking a distinctive Afrocentric perspective. Some of Hakim’s books for adults might be labeled as controversial or conspiratorial rather than scholarly, for which reason the Libraries did not buy them. Consequently, the Penn Libraries never purchased most of the books available at Hakim’s, and the important perspective provided by them, which influences and reflects local and national Black intellectual and popular thought, was largely absent from our collection.

 Many adult books from Hakim’s focus on Ethiopian, Egyptian, and other African or diasporic cultures to inform Black readers of streams of thought counter to Eurocentric narratives. These books look at African civilizations, such as those in Egypt and Ethiopia, as sources of wisdom. For example, The Egyptian Philosophers: Ancient African Voices from Imhotep to Akhenaten, written for a general audience by Temple Professor of Africology Molefi Kete Asante, addresses early Egyptian figures, their ethical precepts, and the Egyptian philosophy of Maat. Dr. Asante writes that this book is “meant for the seeker intending to uncover the earliest reflections of humanity and…the sources of African ideas and philosophy.”

Other books directly confront common assumptions about race in history, questioning their validity and pointing to the harm done by leaving them unquestioned. Dick Gregory’s No More Lies: The Myth and Reality of American History is a classic example. All the books purchased from Hakim’s fulfill its mission to provide uplifting and positive perspectives to the Black community and beyond, including historical and cultural contexts that aren’t commonly emphasized. Moreover, they represent the intentional curation by Hakim’s owners and staff for a specific audience. As such, this collection is synergistic with other collections at the Libraries, including the Joanna Banks collection and collections curated by other independent bookstores. Because it includes such a large portion of Hakim’s regular stock and is so distinctive, this collection provides a vital research opportunity for Penn’s students and scholars. The Libraries' collection of material from Hakim's bookstore is listed, described and requestable through our catalog.