EyeSeeMe African American
Children’s Bookstore
Featured Blog Post
By Jeffrey and Pamela Blair of EyeSeeMe
While raising their four children, Pamela and Jeffrey Blair found it very difficult to find children’s books that featured African Americans as heroes, victors, founders, creators, and contributors to society. In doing their research, they saw an opportunity to bridge the gap between education, identity, history and fun. This gave them the idea to open a bookstore.
The Eyeseeme African American Children’s bookstore was opened on Juneteenth in 2015. Opening a brick and mortar, minority owned, independent bookstore which featured multicultural children’s books, was unheard-of, especially in the age of Amazon. But Eyeseeme’s mission to make sure that all children can see themselves in the literature that they read, was too important to ignore.
The journey has been difficult, as Pamela and Jeffrey had to “learn on the job” of running a successful bookstore. But with the help of the St. Louis community, the store has grown year over year and has been able to reach and enhance the lives of more and more children.
In February, Eyeseeme participated in a panel discussion with other community leaders on the topic of literacy and representation. This event took place during the showing of Metro Theater Company’s Ghost based on the award winning book by Jason Reynolds.
Left to right: Jeffrey Blair, Sidney Keys III, Julius B. Anthony, Rhema Anazonwu, Winnie Caldwell, Pam Washington Littleton. Metro Theater Company panel discussion. February 9, 2020, Grandel Theatre. Photo: Jennifer A. Lin
EVENT! Eyeseeme celebrates their Fifth Year Anniversary milestone by partnering with Remember the 400 to show solidarity for racial justice and progression to real systemic change. Juneteenth Peace Rally, Eyeseeme Parking Lot, 6951 Olive Blvd, University City, MO 63130, Friday, June 19 at 6:30 pm. Family friendly event, all are welcome, bring your masks and signs.
Book recommendations from EyeSeeMe
This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do The Work
by Tiffany Jewell (Author), Aurelia Durand (Illustrator)
Paperback – January 7, 2020
The New Jim Crow: Young Readers’ Edition: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
by Michelle Alexander
Hardcover – June 30, 2020
AntiRacist Baby
by Ibram X. Kendi | Ashley Lukashevsky
Board Book | June 16, 2020
She Was the First!: The Trailblazing Life of Shirley Chisholm
by Katheryn Russell-Brown | Eric Velasquez
Lee & Low Books | YA | June 9, 2020
Five Days: The Fiery Reckoning of an American City
by Wes Moore (Author), Erica L. Green (Author)
Hardcover – June 23, 2020
Lifting as We Climb: Black Women's Battle for the Ballot Box
by Evette Dionne (Author)
Hardcover – April 21, 2020
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning
by Jason Reynolds
Hardcover – March 10, 2020
Woke: A Young Poet's Call to Justice
by Mahogany L. Browne
Hardcover – Picture Book, March 10, 2020
Black Is a Rainbow Color
by Angela Joy (Author), Ekua Holmes (Illustrator)
Hardcover – January 14, 2020
Say Her Name (Poems to Empower)
by Zetta Elliott (Author), Loveis Wise (Illustrator, Cover Art)
Hardcover – January 14, 2020
The Undefeated (Caldecott Medal Book)
by Kwame Alexander (Author), Kadir Nelson (Illustrator)
Hardcover – Picture Book, April 2, 2019
Let the Children March
by Monica Clark-Robinson
Hardcover Picture Book, January 2, 2018
We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices
by Wade Hudson (Editor), Cheryl Willis Hudson (Editor)
Hardcover – September 4, 2018