Washington, D.C.: Visit a Black-Owned Bookstore in Historic Anacostia

About the Journey

Oneika Raymond heads to Anacostia, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Washington D.C., to visit Mahogany Books, the community's first Black-owned bookstore in over two decades selling works by Black authors.
She'll meet with co-founders Derrick and Ramunda Young – partners in business and life – to discuss the impact of selling Black literature in a predominantly Black neighborhood, their own ties to Southeast D.C. and how their community has warmly embraced their shop tucked inside the Anacostia Arts Center. Here, we'll get a more holistic view of our nation's capital by leaving the typical circuit of museums and monuments to dive into Black stories in this historic area and on Mahogany’s bookshelves.
While in Anacostia, we'll also take a look at the CROWN Act mural by Candice S. Taylor, depicting four Black women with different natural hairstyles to symbolize the ongoing campaign to prevent discrimination based upon hairstyle and hair texture. And Oneika will bookend her day at Black Lives Matter Plaza near the St. Regis Washington, D.C. and the historic site of Fredrick Douglas's final home at Cedar Hill.

About the Journey is a podcast produced by Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, AT WILL MEDIA, MNTRA, and Oneika Raymond. Listen and follow the show here.

To read full episode transcripts from About the Journey and see photos of each featured destination, head to About the Journey on Marriott Bonvoy Traveler. Starting this season, you can watch full videos of each episode on the Marriott Bonvoy YouTube channel.