City Books stands with those who fight racism & injustice in all aspects of life. We mourn with Black, AAPI, and Indigenous families & loved ones of those who have been & are being destroyed by racial violence, and we support the protesters & communities which have been & are being attacked by ideological extremists & militarized police forces in Pittsburgh & across the country.
Please read our Tribal Lands Acknowledgement.
Like many other people & businesses, we have always considered ourselves allies, but we are now learning in real time how we have fallen short in the past and how we can do better in the future. As we commit to bold & necessary activism, we are cautious not to reproduce the hierarchies we seek to dismantle and are examining our own processes first before finding fault in others. In that spirit, we are open to constructive conversation and criticism regarding our business practices and ways that we can be more helpful to the community. We welcome accountability with open minds and open hearts.
We encourage our customers to get involved, please consider DONATING to the Bukit Bail Fund of Pittsburgh, a coalition of individuals supporting those incarcerated in Allegheny County Jail.
We are big fans of BOOM Concepts, a space dedicated to the development of artist and creative entrepreneurs representing marginalized voices, and of 1HOOD, a collective of socially conscious artists and activists who utilize art to raise awareness.
We adamantly believe TRANS WOMEN ARE WOMEN and that BLACK TRANS LIVES MATTER. Therefore, we support SisTersPGH, a transgender drop-in space, resource provider, and shelter transitioning program based in Pittsburgh.
We are also committed to supporting Steel Smiling, a volunteer-run organization formed in early 2016 to provide African Americans in low-income neighborhoods with basic needs and referrals to quality, affordable mental health services.
If you are unable to make financial donations at this time, there are many things you can and should be doing to support Black people and to engage fellow white people in actively opposing racism. Please read “7 tips for white allies from a black Pittsburgher” by Cameron Barnett dated June 6, 2020.
For 39 years, City Books has been a center for discussion, creativity, and healing in Pittsburgh. Despite a few COVID setbacks, we are still here and working to get vital resources into the community.
If you are in Pittsburgh & are looking for BLM- or social justice-related titles but are not able to afford a book right now, please contact us at citybookspgh@gmail.com and we will make arrangements to source books for you.
As always, we accept special orders for new & used books that we do not currently carry.
Please register to VOTE.
We have NEVER doubted “that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” (Margaret Mead) Therefore, we encourage our followers & customers to join us in support of local Black authors, artists, & businesses, as well as social organizations working to end injustice and food insecurity in Pittsburgh & beyond.