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

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Split This Rock Poem of the Week: Patrick Rosal

Split this Rock is a longtime poetry partner of Busboys and Poets. Check out the Sunday Kind of Love monthly poetry series at Busboys and Poets every third Sunday of the month from 5-7PM.   Typhoon Poem The teacher can’t hear the children over all this monsoon racket, all the zillion spoons whacking the rusty … Continued

first date

Busboys and Poets First Date Story: Pauline and Tim

So we found out from Instagram that Pauline and Tim, who are now married, had their first date at Busboys and Poets. Then Tim proposed to Pauline at the Hyattsville open mic! We asked them to tell us about their first date, how they found each other and relationship advice!   What did you two … Continued

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Everest Base Camp #8

Fasten yourself seatbelt it’s going to be a bumpy ride or There is literally nothing that duct tape can’t solve. Dawa picks me up at 5 am sharp and we make it to the airport by 5:15 for our 6:15 flight to you know where! There is no traffic to speak of. It is really … Continued