I decided to open Jubilee Books when my great grandmother passed away this summer. She was my favorite person on the planet, and I’ve relished in every opportunity to make her proud.
She passed on Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the last day of slavery. I planned to celebrate with my friends with drinks and food, but I ended up being filled with so much heartbreak that I cancelled all of my plans.
My grandmother lived a wonderful 89 years and witnessed a lifetime of joy and growth. She lived faithfully and honestly, and that is always worth celebrating. My grandmother lived a full life, but losing her hurt.
The period after slavery is affectionately referred to by black folks as a time for celebration. Even though time after slavery was a road of difficult and brutal change, there was always a need to celebrate.
Jubilee Books was born to celebrate. To celebrate storytelling. To celebrate art. To celebrate life.