Una Mulzac
Una Mulzac | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Died | January 21, 2012 (aged 88) |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, bookseller |
| Known for | Establishing the Liberation Bookstore in Harlem |
Una Mulzac (April 19, 1923 – January 21, 2012) was an African American entrepreneur and bookseller who established the Liberation Bookstore, a well-known African-American bookstore located in Harlem that focused on political works and literature related to the Black Power movement.
Personal life
Mulzac was born in Baltimore and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She was the daughter of Hugh Mulzac, a socialist and notably the first black captain in the United States Merchant Marine. Her upbringing took place in Bedford–Stuyvesant, where she completed her education at Girls' High School. Early on, she briefly held a position as a secretary at Random House. In 1963, she relocated to British Guiana, where she aligned with the People's Progressive Party and managed their bookstore in Georgetown. During her time there, she survived an attempted bombing. Additionally, Mulzac was active in civil rights efforts as a member of the executive board of the Harlem branch of the NAACP.
Liberation Bookstore
Following her return from British Guiana, Mulzac launched the Liberation Bookstore in 1967. This establishment quickly became an essential source for literature on politics and Black Power ideology. Its influence and cultural importance within Harlem have often been likened to that of Lewis Michaux's African National Memorial Bookstore.