Sankofa was founded in the District in 1998, by Haile and Shirkiana Gerima.
The inspiration for the café and bookstore, on Georgia Avenue, came from a film created by the founders in 1993.
“Sankofa is going back to independence; it represents Black Power because we’re an organization that is self-determining. We’ve had obstacles, going back to the cafe owners trying to distribute the film or even get the film shown across the country, they have to make a form of grassroots organization,” Scurlock said.
Inside Sankofa, customers can buy movies and books that tell stories about people of African descent, introducing the Black community to rare educational and literature that you can’t find in a mainstream bookstore.
“Well, this is our 25th year in business. So that’s a big achievement, especially with the ongoing gentrification of Chocolate City. It’s hard to stay in business as someone who has a niche in each area in the community,” said store manager Makala Scurlock.
“We don’t just accept any type of book, even if it is Black; we have criteria. So I think that’s a big accomplishment to maintain our morality.”
The film has encouraged many people, in different generations, that anything is possible.
“It’s a movie about rebellion. So that, of course, sparks a sense of pride and responsibility and the people who watch it. They’re a great example of being self-disciplined and being independent, and having self-determination because they founded this company to distribute that film that they made,” said Scurlock.
Sankofa has impacted many high school and college students’ lives, captivating students that were not interested in reading before.
“Sometimes we get groups that come from like high schools and stuff. And you can tell that maybe at first, they were disinterested. But then they look around, and they see covers, and they see on the covers people that look like them, and it makes them want to learn more about the subject,” Scurlock said.
“We have had people that come in, they come to this, maybe they weren’t interested in writing, maybe they weren’t interested in poetry, but they get to do like maybe a mini class or something they become interested and intrigued.”
Throughout the year, the business has multiple events geared towards children, such as “Happy Nappy Storytelling,” and panel discussions for adults.
Their events are about encouraging reading, Black entrepreneurship, and mental health. The events focus on essential topics in the Black community, such as the importance of mental health, and history lessons.
“So we encourage parents to start at a very early age, you know, to read to their children about Black history, or you know, just about Black culture, African culture. But any of our events are great to come to,” Scurlock said.
The bookstore is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., while the restaurant is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The restaurant’s menu includes dishes named after famous Black directors such as Spike Lee and Larry Clark.
“That just shows that whatever we need to do, we can do it, and we have the power; all we have to do is form a community, work together, and have a plan. You can do whatever you need to accomplish,” she said.
Christion Billy 