Bookstore Holiday Sale

Busboys and Poets Books is having a holiday sale! For one week, all books will be 10% off. Need last minute holiday gifts? A good read for the upcoming winter solstice? Come in and get a few books for the children in your life, something to help you brush up on some social justice, or wine down with some poetry. We have something for all the book lovers in your life. Don’t forget to get something for yourself!

Some of our staff picks include:

Li’l Rabbit’s Kwanzaa by Donna L. Washington

The 100 Best African American Poems edited by Nikki Giovanni

The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis

The Making of Busboys and Poets

A Seat at the Table: The Making of Busboys and Poets

We’re proud to announce A Seat at the Table: The Making of Busboys and Poets, the new memoir from our CEO and Founder, which reveals the vision, challenges, and triumphs behind opening Busboys and Poets. Packed with misadventures, unexpected triumphs, and insights on race, business and politics, Andy Shallal’s memoir takes us on a “How I Built … Continued

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For Langston Hughes on His 123 Birthday

Speech given on February 1, 2024 in Havana, Cuba In 1927 Langston Hughes walked into a Cuba amid an emerging community of artists, intellectuals, and radicals.  He saw a “sunrise in a new land [– a day – in his words]sic – full of brownskin surprises, and hitherto unknown contacts in a world of color.”  … Continued

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Palestine Week 2024

January 18, 2024 – January 25, 2024 In keeping with our ongoing mission of uplifting racial and cultural connections, Busboys and Poets is hosting Palestine Week (January 18 through January 25, 2024). This week-long series of events will offer a diverse range of programming featuring Palestinian food, music, dance, poetry, discussions, and other enriching events. … Continued

9. The Art Factory (Fabrica De Arte Cubano)

Reflections from the Busboys and Poets Travel Tribe’s Cultural Exchange trip to Cuba (July 6-13, 2022)  Of all the places I visited in Cuba. Of all the events. The panels. The museums. The sights and sounds. The Fabrica De Arte Cubano (aka Fabrica) stands out. An old repurposed oil factory. Transformed into a multi level. … Continued

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5. Cuba – Ministry of Culture

We approach the towering yellow stucco building that houses the Ministry of Culture. There is a delegation waiting patiently to greet us at the sidewalk. They are standing in front of a metal gated entrance. Their inviting faces have welcome written all over. We exchange “Holas”. And handshakes. The handful of Spanish words I know … Continued

Busboys and Poets Book Review: Home.Girl.Hood.

Busboys and Poets Book Review: Home.Girl.Hood.

There are rare literary moments when you can truly see an author shine beyond what they have set for you on the page. A sort of kinesthesia takes place as the characters and their stories move in such a compelling way that all five of your senses can’t help but be engaged and feel truly … Continued

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The Ward 8 World’s Greatest Sweet Potato Pie Contest

The Ward 8 World’s Greatest Sweet Potato Pie Contest at Busboys and Poets Anacostia encourages Ward 8 residents to share their amazing baking skills and tasty treats with the community and Busboys and Poets tribe. Each entrant will receive a $50 Busboys and Poets Giftcard 10 Semi-finalists will receive a $100 Cash Prize  5 Finalists will receive a $250 Cash Prize The grand prize winner will receive a $1000 cash prize and … Continued