Cerebral Kingdom, a Black-owned bookstore in Rochester, N.Y., has received a New York State Senate Proclamation celebrating its first year in business. Per Rochester First, New York State Senator Jeremy Cooney presented the proclamation to bookstore owners Anthony King and Zakiya McAdams-King on December 11.
Cooney praised Cerebral Kingdom's "mission driven approach" to improving access to the work of Black writers and aritsts while simultaneously supporting local creators. "If we have learned anything over the past 21-plus months it is that we need spaces like Cerebral Kingdom and neighborhood minded entrepreneurs to help us feel whole as we look to recover."
King and McAdams-King opened the bookstore in August 2020. The store carries books for all ages that highlight Black history, culture and literature, and there is a selection of local and African art. It is the only Black-owned bookstore in Rochester.