Shop in Philadelphia to receive historical marker for being first Black-owned bookstore

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The first and oldest Black-owned bookstore in Philadelphia, and on the East Coast, will soon become a historical site.

After 64 years, Hakim's Bookstore will officially take its place in Pennsylvania's history books.

This summer, visitors will see an official blue and yellow historical state marker outside of Hakim's Bookstore and Gift Shop on 52nd Street.

Inside, Dawud Hakim's family is keeping a promise: to keep his legacy and advocacy alive and to keep the store he opened in 1959 up and running.

"During that time, African Americans were being oppressed," says Yvonne Blake, Hakim's daughter and the current owner of the bookstore. "He realized that part of it was because of ignorance of who we were, and the contributions that we had made to this country. So that's what drove him to start selling books, acquiring books."

"People became aware of the fact that my father had books that dealt with these issues, that you couldn't find in mainstream bookstores, so people started to seek him out," she continued.

Blake carries on her father's tradition with her grandson, Chris Arnold.

"We were notified in December that we were going to be recognized with a historical marker," Blake said. "I'm happy. It's bittersweet because my dad isn't here to realize that all of his hard work paid off."

On August 12, a historical marker will be installed in front of the store.

It will celebrate Hakim's vision and his contributions, which live on through his family.