Family behind Black-owned bookstore blames threats for closure
15 MINUTES. ALL RIGHT. THE
TIMING VERY IMPORTANT FOR
TOMORROW. MIKE, THANK YOU.
>> THE OWNER OF A CHILDREN'S
BOOK STORE IN DOWNTOWN RALEIGH
SAYS HER SHOP AND FAMILY HAVE
BEEN TARGETED BY THREATS AND
SHE'S CLOSING THE DOORS
LIBERATION STATION OPENED ON
FAYETTEVILLE STREET WITH THIS
CELEBRATION ON JUNE TEEN LESS
THAN A YEAR AGO. IT WAS THE
FIRST BLACK OWNED CHILDREN'S
BOOK STORE IN THE TRIANGLE
WRAL'S MATT TALHELM IS LIVE
IN DOWNTOWN RALEIGH WITH THE
OWNERS MESSAGE FOR THE
COMMUNITY MASK.
>> YEAH, DENVER, THAT FAMILY
OWNED SHOP IS UP ON THE SECOND
FLOOR HERE AT THAT FAYETTEVILLE
STREET. THIS IS AN OLD
DEPARTMENT STORE SPACE HERE.
THE OWNER IS ALSO AN AUTHOR AND
SHE WROTE THIS MESSAGE ON
SOCIAL MEDIA SAYING DEATH
THREATS AND HATE MAIL, A LACK
OF SAFETY FORCING HER TO CLOSE
THE SHOT.
>> BEHIND THE DOOR OF SWEET WHY
WE HAVE BOARD IN PARKS.
LANGSTON HUGHES, A TRUE RATED
COLLECTION OF LITERATURE LINES.
THE SHELVES TELLING THE STORIES
OF BLACK CHILDREN AND FAMILIES,
NOT JUST THE BOOKSTORE IS SOME
MOVEMENT. VICTORIA SCOTT MILLER
OPENED LIBERATION STATION IN
DOWNTOWN RALEIGH LAST JUNE
AFTER 4 YEARS OF POP-UP BOOK
SALES FROM THE TRUNK OF THE
FAMILY'S CAR, A 2011 CHEVY
GOING FROM PLACE TO PLACE A
VIBRANT MURAL COVERS THE WALL,
LEADING TO THE STORE INSIDE.
IT'S A COZY WELCOMING SPACE FOR
THE CHILDREN WHO VISIT HERE.
HAVE A SEAT BREED. YOU ARE HOME
READS A MESSAGE ON THE BENCH.
THIS IS A COMMUNITY. SPACE IS
A COMMUNAL SACRED SPACE.
SCOTT MILLER SAYS THAT PIECE
TURNED UPSIDE DOWN IN
SEPTEMBER. WE BEGIN RECEIVING
THREATS
>> ONLINE AND ALSO THROUGH THE
PHONE. SHE SAYS IT FIRST THEY
BRUSHED OFF THE THREATS AND
DIDN'T REPORT THEM TO POLICE.
WE DIDN'T DESERVE TO.
HAVE TO SAY, OH, HERE'S ANOTHER
ANOTHER PROBLEM. YOU KNOW,
ANOTHER ISSUE THAT'S INTRUDING
ON THE SPACE THAT YOU DESERVE.
AND SO WE YOU KNOW, WE SAT WITH
THAT AS A FAMILY. WE SO WHAT
WHAT DO WE DO? SCOTT MILLER
DESCRIBES THE THREATS AS
SICKENING TARGETING, RESTORE
AND FAMILY. I THINK IT IS THE
POWER AND PRESENCE OF SAYING A
BLACK FAMILY UNIT.
>> DOING THIS WORK.
AND I THINK THE BEST THAT.
BUT SHE SAYS IT'S BECOME
EXHAUSTING AND UNSAFE TO THE
POINT THAT LIBERATION STATION
WILL SOON BECOME ANOTHER VACANT
SPACE ON THE STREET. THE CITY'S
TRYING TO REVITALIZE.
>> HOW ARE YOU REVITALIZE AND
THE CITY, IF YOU FOR GETTING
THE PEOPLE THAT MATTER.
THAT ARE MARGINALIZED. THAT'S A
QUESTION FOR A COMMUNITY TO
UNPACK. AS SCOTT MILLER
PREPARES TO MOVE HER BUSINESS
OUT OF DOWNTOWN, WE WILL FIND
OUR PLACE. WE WILL FIND A PLACE
THAT WAS DESIGNED FOR US THAT
FEELS SAFE.
>> THAT ALLOWS US TO GROW.
THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE THESE
TOUGH CONVERSATIONS. REAL.
>> NOW, THE DOWNTOWN RALEIGH
ALLIANCE SHARED THIS STATEMENT
WITH WRAL SAYING IN PART ANY
REPORTS OF HARASSMENT OR
VIOLENCE ARE DISHEARTENING,
HAVE NO PLACE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE COMMITTED TO CONTINUING
TO WORK TO MAKE DOWNTOWN SAFER,
MORE INCLUSIVE AND MORE
WELCOMING TO ALL PEOPLE.
NOW, RALEIGH POLICE SAY THEY
ARE AWARE OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA
POST FROM THE OWNER AND FROM
THE STORE HERE. BUT THEY SAY
THEY HAVE NOT HAD ANY REPORTS.
NONE OF THOSE CALLS. NONE OF
THOSE INCIDENTS WERE REPORTED
TO POLICE. THEY ENCOURAGE
ANYONE. ANY BUSINESS OWNERS
WHO EXPERIENCE HARASSMENT AND
VIOLENCE OF ANY KIND LIKE THAT
OR ANY THREATS TO REPORT IT.
LIBERATION STATION HERE,
MEANWHILE, WILL CLOSE APRIL 13.