Marcus Books

Marcus Books

Company type	Independent, family-operated business
Industry	Bookstore
Founded	1960
Founder	Julian Richardson and Raye Richardson
Headquarters	San Francisco , United States
Area served	San Francisco Bay Area
Products	African-American literature, historical works, cultural topics
Website	marcusbooks.com

Marcus Books—initially known as "Success Printing" and later "Success Books"—was established in 1960 and holds the distinction of being the longest-standing bookstore in the United States dedicated exclusively to African-American literature, historical works, and cultural topics. For decades, its primary location has been situated in San Francisco’s Western Addition district, with an additional branch operating in Oakland, California. The establishment has maintained its status as an independent, family-operated business since inception, serving as a vital cultural hub for African-American literary and community engagement throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

The original bookstore premises at 1712–1716 Fillmore Street received official recognition as a San Francisco Designated Landmark in 2013.

Background

Julian Richardson entered the world on April 4, 1916, in Birmingham, Alabama, as the youngest sibling among eight children. Raye Richardson was born approximately between 1921 and 1922.

The pair met while attending Tuskegee University, where both were enrolled students. Julian pursued studies in lithography and shared classes with notable figures such as Ralph Ellison. The university was renowned for fostering intellectual growth among African-American academics and counted distinguished educators like George Washington Carver and Booker T. Washington among its faculty. The couple married circa 1940. Julian’s military service in the United States Army was something he deeply resented. According to their daughter Blanche Richardson, both parents were motivated by a strong desire to contribute positively to the African-American community.

In 1946, Julian and Raye relocated to San Francisco. Julian’s career included various printing roles, notably employment at the San Francisco Chronicle.

Origins and Initial Development

Julian Richardson went on to establish his own business, Success Printing. Both Julian and Raye were emerging community advocates. Their decision to launch a bookstore stemmed from Raye's strong enthusiasm for literature centered on African-American experiences. Owning an extensive personal library, they frequently shared books with friends, which inspired Julian to create a bookstore within the back area of his print shop. As Raye articulated, "There was an urgent need to have a source of knowledge about black people."

Blanche Richardson described the motivation behind the bookstore in a 2008 interview:

"They both cherished reading Black literature but found it challenging to locate and purchase such books. They understood that for the Black community to advance, it needed its own bookstore serving as a repository of self-knowledge."

The establishment was situated in the Western Addition district, an area that had been predominantly Japanese-American before many residents were displaced during World War II internment. Subsequently, African-American families began settling there after facing housing discrimination from white landlords elsewhere in the city. By the post-war period, this neighborhood—also known as the Fillmore district—had evolved into a vibrant center of African-American culture on the West Coast. Often referred to as the "Harlem of the West," it gained renown for its jazz venues.

The bookstore was eventually renamed Marcus Books, honoring Marcus Garvey. This new name was inspired after the Richardsons read The Philosophy & Opinions of Marcus Garvey, or Africa for the Africans. Moreover, both Julian’s and Raye’s fathers had been adherents of Garvey’s teachings. Over time, due to extensive redevelopment in the neighborhood, the store underwent several relocations.

In 1981, Marcus Books settled at 1712 Fillmore Street, occupying a historic Victorian-era building for more than thirty years. This site had formerly housed Jimbo's Bop City, a jazz club frequented by legends such as Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, and Dizzy Gillespie. The bookstore became a vital cultural hub for the community. Nevertheless, its proprietors faced persistent racism and limited mainstream backing. The Johnsons recounted experiences akin to "white-only-water-fountain-level racism" endured by themselves and their employees.

Additionally, during the 1960s and 1970s, black-owned bookstores were subject to surveillance by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). For instance, in October 1968, J. Edgar Hoover issued a memo noting an “increase in the establishment of black extremist bookstores which represent propaganda outlets for revolutionary and hate publications and culture centers for extremism.” The directive requested FBI agents to identify "black extremist and/or African-type bookstores" and initiate investigations into them.

1970s–2000

In 1976, Marcus Books expanded by launching a second location in Oakland, situated at 3900 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. Blanche Richardson recounted the circumstances behind this move:

"The San Francisco Redevelopment Agency's efforts to 'redevelop' Black neighborhoods led to the displacement of many from San Francisco’s vibrant Fillmore District. As numerous Black families relocated to the East Bay, my parents established a new store in Oakland in 1976."

As years passed, the Richardson family aged. Raye earned her Doctorate in Literature from University of California, Berkeley and went on to chair the Black Studies department at San Francisco State University. Following Julian’s passing in 2000, Raye managed the bookstore independently. Later, ownership transitioned to the Johnson family—Karen, Gregory, and Tamiko Johnson.

The 21st century

Entering the early 2000s, Marcus Books encountered financial hardships. The rise of major retailers like Barnes & Noble, Borders, and online giant Amazon resulted in a sales decline of approximately 60% between 2004 and 2010. The most significant setback occurred in 2006 when the Johnson family secured a $950,000 predatory loan with fixed monthly interest payments at a 10% rate. This debt caused monthly building expenses to escalate to $10,000. Seeking assistance, the Johnsons reached out to then-Attorney General Kamala Harris’s office for investigation and initiated a GoFundMe campaign aiming to raise $1 million. Despite public support and concern over its potential closure within the Bay Area community, fundraising efforts fell short, collecting only $20,000. Consequently, the family was unable to settle debts before deadlines.

Following bankruptcy proceedings, ownership of the property transferred to the Sweis family—real estate investors who also own Royal Cab—for $1.59 million. Westside Community Services attempted to repurchase the building for $1.64 million to restore it as Marcus Books; however, the Sweis family declined offers below $3.2 million and sought legal eviction against Marcus Books. In April 2014, due to unpaid rent, the bookstore was evicted. At that time, San Francisco Supervisor (and future Mayor) London Breed, who had frequented the bookstore during her youth, expressed regret: "I wish I could come up with the money to buy it myself. But unfortunately, it's a capitalist society, and it doesn't work like that."

In 2016, plans were announced for Marcus Books to reestablish itself in San Francisco by relocating to a space within the African American Art & Culture Complex (AAACC) on Fulton Street. Although this new venue was only one-sixth the size of their previous San Francisco site, it integrated Marcus Books into a broader cultural hub that includes organizations such as the African American Shakespeare Company and hosts events like the San Francisco Juneteenth Festival. The AAACC facility also features a sizable theater and conference rooms.

Throughout its history, Marcus Books has relocated seven times within San Francisco and twice in Oakland.

During the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Marcus Books temporarily closed due to social distancing mandates. To support its operations during this period, the bookstore launched an online fundraising initiative on GoFundMe with an initial goal of $50,000 later increased to $200,000. By early June 2020, this campaign successfully surpassed its target.

Community involvement

Since its inception, Marcus Books has offered a diverse selection of literature, including titles for children, educational materials, and works focused on Afrocentrism. The store has also taken the initiative to reissue previously unavailable publications such as The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey and George G.M. James's Stolen Legacy. Beyond retail, the bookstore served as a gathering place for activists both prior to and following demonstrations and rallies associated with the civil rights era.

A variety of distinguished African-American personalities have either frequented Marcus Books or conducted readings there. These include Malcolm X, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Oprah Winfrey, Terry McMillan, Walter Mosley, Muhammad Ali, Ishmael Reed, Cornel West, Michael Eric Dyson, Chaka Khan, Queen Latifah, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Randall Robinson, Nikki Giovanni, E. Lynn Harris, among others. By 2010, the bookstore's inventory comprised approximately 6,000 volumes.

Further reading

• André Wheeler, "'Economic duress is nothing new': Can America's oldest black bookstore survive the pandemic?" The Guardian, May 15, 2020.

External links

• Official website
• 2015 video interview with Blanche Richardson discussing the bookstore's history