COCOA, Fla. – A bookstore owner who said she reads a book a day is helping to give away more than a thousand books for free this weekend in honor of Juneteenth.
Michelle Davis, of the Essence of Knowledge Urban Bookstore in Cocoa, said Brevard County’s first “Little Black Book Drive” on Saturday will help families celebrate Juneteenth by inspiring children to read.
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“If you want a book, you’re going to get a book, and the books are not just for people of color. The books are for all children,” Davis said. “Everybody should know our race. We should know their race.”
Davis said most of the books donated for the drive were bought from her bookstore in Cocoa.
Riverfront Park in Cocoa Village will be one of the county’s three giveaway locations.
Kevin James and Heather Greene said they’ll both bring children in their families to grab books.
“Providing that opportunity for us to celebrate this joyous occasion and the books that you all are going to provide that will share the history of different cultures (African American culture) for this particular holiday, I think is always a good thing,” James said.
Greene said children need to be reading more.
“Do activities beside video games,” the mother said. “Get that brain still going during the summertime.”
Organizers said the book drive at Cocoa Village will operate between 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Saturday.
Books will also be handed out at Melbourne’s Riverview Park from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Cuyler Park in Mims from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. that same day.