Nkiru Center for Education and Culture

Nkiru Books

Company type	Nonprofit (after 2000)
Industry	Bookstore, Education, Culture
Founded	1976
Founder	Leothy Miller Owens
Fate	Became nonprofit and renamed Nkiru Center for Education and Culture in 2000
Successor	Nkiru Center for Education and Culture
Headquarters	Brooklyn, New York City , United States
Area served	Communities of color in Brooklyn
Key people	Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Brenda M. Greene (board chair 2003), Angeli Rasbury (former executive director)
Products	Books by African, Latino, and Caribbean authors; children's literature; literacy programs; cultural events

Nkiru Books was among the longest-standing African-American bookstores located in Brooklyn, New York City. Established in 1976 by Leothy Miller Owens, the bookstore changed ownership in 2000 when Talib Kweli and Mos Def acquired it. Following this transition, it operated under the name Nkiru Center for Education and Culture, a nonprofit entity dedicated to advancing literacy and fostering multicultural understanding specifically for communities of color. Its final physical location was at 732 Washington Avenue.

History

Leothy Miller Owens, then a young teacher, founded Nkiru in her residence in 1976. During that era, Brooklyn hosted several African American bookstores such as Richardson's Afro-American Book Store, the Freedom Bookstore, and Akiba Mkuu, which was established by the black-nationalist group The East. Soon after its inception, Nkiru expanded into a dedicated space at 76 St. Marks Place. Following Ms. Miller Owens' passing in 1992, her mother Adelaide Miller managed the store until 1999, a period during which the business faced significant financial challenges.

In his teenage years during the early 1990s, Talib Kweli was employed at another local Brooklyn bookstore that primarily stocked mainstream literature. This experience highlighted for him the scarcity of books centered on African American experiences, motivating him to seek employment at Nkiru. Although no vacancies existed initially, Kweli's persistent efforts secured him a part-time position. His close involvement with the store inspired him to invest in it should he ever have the means.

After releasing their collaborative album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star in 1998, Mos Def and Talib Kweli decided to purchase Nkiru. That same year they organized a large fundraising event to support relocating the bookstore. By October 2000, Nkiru had moved to 732 Washington Avenue in Brooklyn and was restructured as a nonprofit organization under the new name Nkiru Center for Education and Culture.

As a nonprofit institution, the Nkiru Center for Education and Culture facilitated literacy initiatives including workshops, storytelling sessions, and lectures. Beginning in 2000, it also became a venue for open mic nights and spoken word poetry performances. The bookstore's inventory featured works by African, Latino, and Caribbean authors along with a substantial selection of children's literature.

Although Nkiru no longer operates as a physical retail location, it continues its mission online through Talib Kweli's KweliClub platform.

Mission

The Nkiru Center for Education & Culture, Inc. aimed to function as a vital educational and multicultural hub within the Brooklyn area. Its objectives included enhancing literacy levels and offering a community-centered venue that fosters multicultural learning and awareness, with a particular focus on highlighting African American achievements in literature, history, music, art, and the sciences.

Structure

Operating as a nonprofit entity, the Nkiru Center was governed by a volunteer board of directors. In 2003, the board was led by Brenda M. Greene, who was also an English professor at Medgar Evers College, an adjunct faculty member at the graduate school of New York University, and the mother of Kweli. Previously, Angeli Rasbury served as the executive director. The organization secured financial support from multiple sources, including grants from the Ford Foundation.

See also

• Culture in Brooklyn