Successful Nappy Roots Books Auction Helping Them Move Forward

Nappy Roots Books is so much more than just a bookstore. Owner Camille Landry opened the store about three years ago, and today it is a valuable resource to the community. So, when the store held a virtual silent action last week on Facebook the community rallied.

"We called it ‘A Taste Of Blackness’ and it was successful. We had some really wonderful performers who volunteered their time to help the bookstore,” Landry said. “We had wonderful food from a couple of community chefs including African food and Oklahoma City soul food and we also had a silent auction.”

So, the auction was successful, and the remaining items are available for outright sale on the bookstore's website.

Landry said now that we are on the downside of COVID, there are plenty of events scheduled for the bookstore.

"We’ve got some great stuff planned. We’re planning to break ground fairly soon on a community garden. That’s both going to address the fact that the northeast side is a terrible food desert you got to go miles to find fresh food," she said. 

The community garden will serve multiple purposes. It will encourage young people to pursue careers in agriculture, as well as selling food to the local farmer’s market, with hopes of employing people from the community especially those that have been incarcerated.

In addition, they plan to resume the mentoring and tutoring programs and the college prep programs. But none of this would be possible without the community support.

"You can support our auction, you can buy some of the beautiful art, the incredible art and other kinds of gifts like Jabee Williams, one of our local stars, his album, other performers albums,” Landry said. “You can gift yourself and help Nappy Roots Books at the same time."

Of course, you can stop by the bookstore and purchase books. Landry said they aren’t going anywhere.