As public libraries across the country face unprecedented political pressure, funding threats, and coordinated book bans, one independent library in Brooklyn is standing firm — and centering Black women’s voices in the fight.
The Free Black Women’s Library, founded by artist and literary advocate OlaRonke Akinmowo in 2015, has become a grassroots haven for banned and challenged books written by Black women and Black nonbinary authors. What began with a modest collection of 100 books has now grown to over 5,000 volumes, and the library isn’t slowing down.
“In this moment, I’m very much invested in making sure that people have access to all the so-called banned books,” Akinmowo told Scripps News, standing amid shelves of titles that many public libraries have been forced to pull. “There’s tons of books in here that you won’t see or find anywhere else.”
A Third Space of Liberation
More than just a reading room, the Free Black Women’s Library is what Akinmowo calls a “third space” — a refuge that isn’t tied to work or commerce, but built around community, conversation, and creativity.
“It’s a space where you don’t have to spend money, where you get to be in community,” she said. “Where you don’t have to have your guard up.”
Unlike traditional libraries, the Free Black Women’s Library operates independently of government funding, allowing it to avoid the compliance burdens now facing public institutions. That decision, Akinmowo said, is paying off.
She once considered aligning with a public system. “I’m so glad I didn’t,” she said, referencing the current federal budget threats and politically motivated book policy mandates.
Banned Books, Bold Voices
The Free Black Women’s Library intentionally platforms literature that has come under fire across the U.S. — books by Black women, queer authors, and writers of color whose stories are more likely to be labeled “controversial” in certain political climates.
A 2024 study by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder found that books by Black and brown authors are 4.5 times more likely to be banned than those by white writers. These books, often centering children, identity, and diverse families, have become the latest target of political backlash.
Akinmowo isn’t having it.
“They’re trying to say that these books are a problem — are propaganda that needs to be erased, removed, set on fire,” she said. “Not on my watch.”
A Legacy of Literacy and Resistance
The library also serves as a resource hub, offering a free store and a period pantry to support local community needs — all while embodying the ethos of legendary Black library leadership, such as Dr. Carla Hayden, the first Black woman Librarian of Congress.
“I love when she says libraries are the great equalizers,” Akinmowo said. “They’re democratic spaces where people get access to the information they need.”
Hayden was abruptly removed from her position earlier this month by President Donald Trump, as his administration escalates its assault on the nation’s public information infrastructure.
Trump also issued an executive order to dissolve the Institute of Museum and Library Services, cutting off millions in federal grants to libraries. That order has since been temporarily blocked by a federal injunction, following legal action by 21 state attorneys general and the American Library Association.
Resisting Erasure Through Books
Despite online harassment and criticism, Akinmowo stands firm in her commitment to platforming marginalized voices.
“Just because I have this library here doesn’t mean I think these are the only books people should read,” she explained. “I just feel like these books are important and significant — and they need to be platformed.”
As public libraries scale back under pressure, the Free Black Women’s Library offers an urgent reminder of what is at stake.
