Last week, founder of the Charleston Activist Network, Mika Gadsden, announced an online initiative called “The Historically Accurate, Anti-Racist Book Club for Charleston.”

This Black-led book club – open to everyone – will focus on the Black experience, featuring works about Gullah, Black and Indigenous history + culture.

The first book up for discussion is Ethan J. Kytle and Blain Roberts’ “Denmark Vesey’s Garden: Slavery and Memory in the Cradle of the Confederacy” – a work centralizing on how slavery is remembered in Charleston.

Along with educating + activating the community on the Black experience, Gadsden is using this new initiative to help support local bookstores and libraries. She encourages participants to grab a copy locally, and has created a list of a few resources to utilize.

Non-Amazon options for book ordering | Photo by @charlestonactivistnetwork

In anticipation of a multi-racial group of participants, a community agreement will be enforced to prevent harmful comments among members. The use of kind, respectful conversations + language is non-negotiable.

The first online discussion will be held Tues., August 18. Additional information will be sent via email, as well as announced on Instagram.

Sign up here.

Why stop at just one book? Check out this list of book recommendations from our local bookstores that aim to educate + activate.