Best Bookstore in Oakland · Oakland, CA
Marcus Books is the oldest Black-owned bookstore in the United States, founded in 1960 by Drs. Raye and Julian Richardson and named for Marcus Garvey. Its Oakland shop is a community hub for Black literature, history, and self-knowledge, hosting authors and organizers for more than six decades.
A cultural cornerstone that has weathered rent battles and the loss of its San Francisco location, Marcus Books endures as a vital gathering place — a bookstore that is also a movement.
Each Centurion Award is a dated record tied to one year’s evaluation — earned annually, never carried over. Open a year for the full citation and verification details.
Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. Selection is by published criteria, never for sale.
Visit Marcus Books
This page is the standing record for Marcus Books (2025). It was not bought, voted on, or sponsored — only winners are published, and an award that stops holding up is revoked, not quietly removed. For hours, bookings, and live reviews, go straight to the business itself.
If you’ve put in the years, you may already clear the bar. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.