Adams Street Book Club: "Brooklynites"

Coinciding with Juneteenth and the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, join us for a discussion of our June 2026 book club selection, Brooklynites: The Remarkable Story of the Free Black Communities that Shaped a Borough by Prithi Kanakamedala. Brooklynites was longlisted for the 2025 Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize and is featured in BPL's Summer Reading 2026 Booklist for adults. Copies available for pickup at the Adams Street Library or check out Libby for the e-book version.

The Adams Street Book Club meets on the last Thursday of every month. Drop by for a cup of tea or coffee, share your thoughts on the book and hear what others have to say about it, and connect with fellow community members. Registration is not required, but if you'd like to receive a reminder email the week of the discussion, feel free to sign up. Ages 18+.

From the publisher:

Before it was a borough, Brooklyn was our nation’s third largest city. Its free Black community attracted people from all walks of life—businesswomen, church leaders, laborers, and writers—who sought to grow their city in a radical anti-slavery vision. 

The residents of neighborhoods like DUMBO, Fort Greene, and Williamsburg organized and agitated for social justice. They did so even as their own freedom was threatened by systemic and structural racism, risking their safety for the sake of their city. Brooklynites recovers the lives of these remarkable citizens and considers their lasting impact on New York City’s most populous borough.

This is a story of land, home, labor, of New Yorkers past, and the legacy they left us. This is the story of Brooklyn.