Underground Books: Home
Children’s Storytime
Underground Books
Come join us on the last Saturday of each month from 12-1pm for Children’s Story time at Underground Books (2814 35th St.).
The free event is catered to children ages 3-10 and includes a book reading and an organized arts and crafts project. Kids also receive a free book!
Parents are welcome to attend and participate with their children.
Please visit our upcoming events section for future dates, or contact the bookstore for more information.
(916) 737-3333
7th Annual Sacramento Community Book Forum
Underground Books
Join us for the discussion on the impact of gun violence in the African American community with our panel speakers.
RSVP to attend the 7th Annual Sacramento Community Book Discussion special event under the auspices of the UC Davis 2019-20 Campus Community Book Project (CCBP) taking place on Tues-Jan 28th from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at Underground Books, 2814 35th Street in Sacramento. This event is free and open to the public.
Black Women Write Discussion and Book Signing
Underground Books
Join us for this exciting collection of women authors Sheryl Lister, Suzette Harrison, LaRhonda Crosby-Johnson and Dera R. Williams as they each discuss their newest novels.
Come learn how these African-American women got started as writers and their journey to become the authors they are today.
Michael Marion “A Sketch”
Discussion and Book Signing
Please join us as local author Mike Marion discusses his first book of poetry selections.
A Tribute to Toni Morrison
Underground Books
Join us for this engaging discussion celebrating the life and work of the late Nobel Prize- and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, editor and professor Toni Morrison.
Sac State African American Studies professor Christine Montgomery, Ph.D will lead a series of readings, conversations and Q&A with fellow college professors Allia Griffin, Ph.D, Rosa Martinez, Ph.D and Alexandria White, M.A. in remembering the great Toni Morrison during her birthday month.
Children’s Storytime
Underground Books
Come join us on the last Saturday of each month from 12-1pm for Children’s Story time at Underground Books (2814 35th St.).
The free event is catered to children ages 3-10 and includes a book reading and an organized arts and crafts project. Kids also receive a free book!
Parents are welcome to attend and participate with their children.
Please visit our upcoming events section for future dates, or contact the bookstore for more information.
(916) 737-3333
Gregory Douglas “The Trilogy of The Boogie Men”
Discussion and Book Signing
Join us for a conversation with local author Gregory Douglas as he discusses his latest novel.
“The Trilogy of the Boogie Men” is a clever story about the boogie men in our lives, real or imagined. Dr. Gregory Douglas, a master of poetry, has begun to experiment with longer works of prose, tied together by a powerful theme. We hope this book will be the first of many of his books in this genre.
Book Signing with Dr. Chase Martin Moore “The Emotion, the Tree and Me: Your Guide to Discussing Emotional Health and Wellness with Your Children”
Underground Books
Join us as we welcome author Dr. Chase Martin Moore for a discussion about his latest book “The Emotion, The Tree and Me”
Social and emotional learning (SEL) enhances our youth’s capacity to connect with others (interpersonal skills), develop a healthy relationship with themselves (intrapersonal skills), and accurately perceive the world so they can manage behaviors and deal effectively and ethically with daily tasks and challenges (self-control).
Clifford Williams Discussion and Book Signing: “Pimps to Pops: A Story about Fatherhood”
Underground Books
Join us as we welcome Clifford Williams for a discussion about this latest novel “Pimps to Pops: A Story about Fatherhood”.
This is the fictional story of seven men, who in their lifetime were spoiled by the luxuries of fine women, fine wine and good times. They made their mark in their communities as Pimps, Playas, and Mack daddy’s. They were at the top of their game when it came to manipulating women to get what they wanted. Their goals were to make money at any cost and exploit others, particularly women, for prominence and sexual favors.
Book Signing with Myron J. Clifton “BLM-PD”
Underground Books
Join us as we welcome local author Myron J. Clifton to discuss his latest novel “BLM-PD: Revenge Was Inevitable”
WOMEN WILL LEAD THE REVOLUTION In the not too distant future, the US has been taken over by white nationalists, and the institutionalized racism that has underscored the country’s entire history has once again been codified.
Book Discussion and Signing with Doreen Procope “Be Inspired to Inspire”
Underground Books
Be Inspired to Inspire: A Collection of Faith-Based Poetry.
Be Inspired to Inspire by Doreen Procope chronicles the journey of a person who has minimal knowledge of God and desires to dig a little deeper. Your faith will be bolstered and greatly enhanced through this poetry.
“Paint and Sip” with Ebony London
Underground Books
Join us as Ebony London returns for her latest paint and sip event “Girlfriends”.
During this paint and sip session entitled “Girlfriends” you will draw & paint elegant figures! You will customize the figure’s skin tones, hair styles clothing & accessories.
Cost: $35
Wine is included for those 21+
Space is limited so be sure to reserve your seat online, or by calling or stopping by Underground Books.
7th Annual Sacramento Black Book Fair
Underground Books
The 7th Annual Sacramento Black Book Fair (SBBF) will be held in Sacramento, California, September 11th – 12th, 2020.
The Book Fair will begin at 6 PM, Friday, September 11th, with a reception at the Underground Book Store, followed by a panel of featured authors at the adjacent Guild Theater at 7 PM.
Jay-Z: Made in America
By Michael Eric Dyson
Dyson writes with the affection of a fan but the rigor of an academic. … Using extensive passages from Jay-Z’s lyrics, ‘Made in America’ examines the rapper’s role as a poet, an aesthete, an advocate for racial justice and a business, man, but devotes much of its energy to Hova the Hustler.” ―Allison Stewart, The Washington Post
“Dyson’s incisive analysis of JAY-Z’s brilliance not only offers a brief history of hip-hop’s critical place in American culture, but also hints at how we can best move forward.” ―Questlove
The Beautiful Ones
By Prince
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The brilliant
coming-of-age-and-into-superstardom story of one of the greatest
artists of all time, in his own words—featuring never-before-seen
photos, original scrapbooks and lyric sheets, and the exquisite
memoir he began writing before his tragic death
The Water Dancer
By Ta-Nehisi Coates
Young Hiram Walker was born into bondage. When his mother was
sold away, Hiram was robbed of all memory of her—but was gifted
with a mysterious power. Years later, when Hiram almost drowns in
a river, that same power saves his life. This brush with death
births an urgency in Hiram and a daring scheme: to escape from
the only home he’s ever known.
Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower
By Brittney Cooper
So what if it’s true that Black women are mad as hell? They have the right to be. In the Black feminist tradition of Audre Lorde, Brittney Cooper reminds us that anger is a powerful source of energy that can give us the strength to keep on fighting.
The Truth About Men
by Devon Franklin
New York Times bestselling author and Hollywood producer
DeVon Franklin speaks out frankly and openly about why men behave
the way they do and what everyone—men and women alike—need to
know about it.
We hear it all the time. Men cheat. Men love power. Men love sex.
Men are greedy. Men are dogs. But is this the truth about
men?
Lebron Inc.: The Making of a Billion Dollar Athlete
By Brian Windhorst
From the New York Times bestselling author of Return of the King comes the story of LeBron James’s incredible transformation from basketball star to sports and business mogul.
With eight straight trips to the NBA Finals, LeBron James has
proven himself one of the greatest basketball players of all
time. And like Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan before him,
LeBron has also become a global brand and businessman who has
altered the way professional athletes think about their value,
maximize their leverage, and use their voice.
Everyday Millionaires
By Chris Hogan
Everywhere we turn, we hear negative financial news—that the American Dream is dead or that the little man can’t get ahead. Our culture feeds us the lie that it’s impossible to become a millionaire in America today, but it’s time you heard the truth.
The Source of Self-Regard
By Toni Morrison
The Source of Self-Regard: Selected Essays, Speeches, and Meditations
On the Come Up
By Angie Thomas
Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of
all time. Or at least win her first battle. As the daughter of an
underground hip hop legend who died right before he hit big,
Bri’s got massive shoes to fill. But it’s hard to get your come
up when you’re labeled a hoodlum at school and your fridge at
home is empty after your mom loses her job. So Bri pours her
anger and frustration into her first song, which goes viral…for
all the wrong reasons.
The Truths We Hold: An American Journey
By Kamala Harris
From one of America’s most inspiring political leaders, a book
about the core truths that unite us, and the long struggle to
discern what those truths are and how best to act upon them, in
her own life and across the life of our country.
Sweet Home Cafe
A Celebration of African American Cooking
A celebration of African American cooking with 109 recipes from the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s Sweet Home Café
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Politics
by Donna Brazile, Yolana Caraway, Leah Daughtry and Minyon Moore
The four most powerful African-American women in politics share the story of their friendship and how it has changed politics in America.
Last Stop on Market Street
by Matt de la Peña (Author), Christian Robinson (Illustrator)
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Winner of the 2016 Newbery Medal
A 2016 Caldecott Honor Book
A 2016 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book
A New York Times Book Review Notable Children’s Book of
2015
A Wall Street Journal Best Children’s Book of 2015
Carmela Full of Wishes
by Matt de la Peña (Author), Christian Robinson (Illustrator)
An Instant New York Times Bestseller!
In their first collaboration since the Newbery Medal- and
Caldecott Honor-winning Last Stop on Market Street, Matt de
la Peña and Christian Robinson deliver a poignant and timely new
picture book that’s sure to be an instant classic.
Under Fire
by April Ryan
Veteran White House reporter April Ryan thought she had seen
everything in her two decades as a White House correspondent. And
then came the Trump administration.
In Under Fire, Ryan takes us inside the confusion and chaos
of the Trump White House to understand how she and other
reporters adjusted to the new normal. She takes us inside the
policy debates, the revolving door of personnel appointments, and
what it is like when she, as a reporter asking difficult
questions, finds herself in the spotlight, becoming part of the
story.
Born a Crime
By Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah’s unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents’ indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the earliest years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, steal him away.
Barracoon: The Story of the Last Black Cargo”
By Zora Neale Hurston
A major literary event: a never-before-published work from the author of the American classic, Their Eyes Were Watching God which brilliantly illuminates the horror and injustices of slavery as it tells the true story of the last known survivor of the Atlantic slave trade — illegally smuggled from Africa on the last ”Black Cargo” ship to arrive in the United States. In 1927, Zora Neale Hurston went to Plateau, Alabama, to interview ninety-five-year-old Cudjo Lewis.
The Hate U Give
Angie Thomas
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
John Woman
By Walter Mosley
A convention-defying novel by bestselling writer Walter Mosley, John Woman recounts the transformation of an unassuming boy named Cornelius Jones into John Woman, an unconventional history professor―while the legacy of a hideous crime lurks in the shadows.
St. HOPE Public Schools is Now Enrolling!
St. HOPE Public Schools is now accepting applications for the 2020-2021 Admissions Lottery for all grades TK – 12th! Apply now to secure your scholar’s spot in the Admissions Lottery on April 2, 2020. Please visit our website for more information on how to enroll your scholar in one of Sacramento’s top performing charter school networks!
Are updates to Oak Park sign of gentrification?
Part 3
ABC 10 - December 19, 2019
Keristen Holmes found out some Black-owned businesses are fighting back against gentrification. Watch the video here.
Christmas in Oak Park
By Xavier Mascareñas December 14, 2019 05:07PM
Christmas in Oak Park, hosted by St. HOPE, featured photos with “Black Santa” at Underground Books, and more holiday-themed activities at neighboring The Guild Theater, on Dec. 14, 2019, in the historic African American Sacramento neighborhood. See video here.
Sacramento’s Oak Park transformed: One organization and its $89 million footprint
Sac Bee Article by David Caraccio
Long-time Oak Park resident and activist Robbin Ware remembers that when he moved to the neighborhood, “there wasn’t a damn thing.”
“There wasn’t nothing here but gangs, drugs, drugs being sold,” said Ware, 82.
Nearly 20 years later, Oak Park has become a hotbed of investment and development. One organization in particular has been busy — St. Hope.
St. Hope turns 30 and self-sustaining
July 8, 2019
One week ago today, at 4 p.m., to be exact, former Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and his fellow dreamers quietly celebrated the 30th anniversary of the founding of St. Hope — which started as a summer program in a portable classroom for 12 African-American boys but became an economic and education turbo engine for what had been the historically neglected Oak Park.
As it Celebrates its 30 th Year, New Study Shows St. HOPE has Contributed More Than $400 Million to Local Economy
Infographic: "St. HOPE Making Its Mark on Oak Park & Sacramento"
Report: The Economic Impact of St. HOPE on the Greater Sacramento Area and the Oak Park Area
Report: "Quality of Life" in Oak Park Area with St. HOPE's Involvement in the Area
Report: The 30-Year Economic Impact of St. HOPE on the Greater Sacramento Area and the Oak Park Area
96% of Sac High Seniors Accepted to Four-Year Universities!
The Class of 2019 will be remembered as one of our most cohesive classes ever to walk through Sac High’s doors. The students from the Class of 2019 are as close as a true family who supported each other throughout the ups and downs of high school, ultimately emerging as graduates. Ninety-six percent of the seniors have been accepted to four-year universities across the nation, including 38 Historically Black Colleges and Universities, 21 California State University campuses, all nine of the University of California campuses, and 26 private and out of state colleges and universitie
PS7 Shows Off for First Art and Music Showcase
PS7 Elementary is always dedicated to bringing as many experiences to our scholars as possible. This year, we knew we wanted to increase the number of electives scholars had the opportunity to participate in while at the elementary school, so we added two — art and music. Throughout the year our scholars learned the various elements of art and music enabling them to present their first ever art and music production, “It’s A Creative World.”
6th Annual Sacramento Black Book Fair Celebration
The Sacramento Black Book Fair kicked off its 6th Annual event earlier this month in Oak Park and brought together African American authors and artists from all over to the community. This highly anticipated h two-day event included a panel discussion among featured authors, book signings, cultural and food vendors, children’s activities, poetry readings, art displays, and so much more.
A New Home for St. HOPE
As St. HOPE approaches its 30th anniversary serving the Oak Park Community, we can reflect back on the many locations we have called home. Many people still recall the original St. HOPE Academy after school building on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, which is now home to the SETA preschool. Others may remember the more corporate office space on 34th Street and 3rd avenue, which has since been completely remodeled and is now home to our friends at Valley Vision.
PS7 envisions their future selves!
PS7 Elementary hosted its first ever Career Day on Friday, April 19th! Our students dressed up as their future selves – teachers, pilots, music artists, athletes and more – and were able to explore and hear from professionals in and around the Oak Park community. As part of the learning experience, students had the opportunity to see an actual human brain thanks to researchers from UC Davis; they put in some sweat with a personal trainer; and, listened to each other’s heartbeats with a stethoscope like a pediatric nurse.
Student Diaries: The Impact of Notre Dame
Before winning the Transforming Youth through Travel scholarship by Context Travel, the only country outside of America I had visited was my parents’ homeland, Mexico. Paris is not what the movies or people make it seem to be, and it is certainly very different from both America and Mexico. My recent trip to Paris was amazing and life changing because I learned so much about the city’s history.
2019 Oak Park Block Party and Lottery Recap!
St. HOPE Public Schools recently celebrated its annual Admissions Lottery along with its first ever Oak Park Block Party held at the newly completed Esther’s Park. The Oak Park community gathered for a day of family-friendly fun, food trucks, and a live DJ. Incoming PS7 and Sacramento Charter High School scholars and families also had an opportunity to meet the St. HOPE staff during the Admissions Lottery.
Grand Opening of Esther’s Park
Last month St. HOPE officially launched its newest development, Esther’s Park! The park, located at 3408 Third Avenue, was created after the unfortunate fall of the historic Esther’s Bakery and will serve as an event space for hosting community gatherings. It is home to a beautiful mural done by Sacramento Charter High School alumni, Aizik Brown, which was part of last year’s Sacramento’s Wide Open Wall event.
2019 Best of Sac High
This year marks the 15th year anniversary of The Best of Sac High Student Art Exhibition and we are proud to celebrate it with students, their families and the entire St. HOPE team. Throughout the years we have endeavored to keep this wonderful tradition alive, showcasing the outstanding talents our students possess. We once again present to you the best artistic work from the some of our most expressive students at Sacramento High School.
College Visits Award Real-Life College Experience
Each year, Sac High prides itself in exposing ALL students to college life, and this year was no exception. In December, students were able to select their annual college trip to a vast array of Northern California universities, including UC Berkeley, Chico State, CSU East Bay, UC Merced, Sacramento State, and Sonoma State. By the time a Sac High student graduates, they have been provided with the opportunity to visit at least four different college campuses – those students involved in EAOP and College Track visit far more!
Admissions Lottery Fast Approaching
Although the priority deadline to apply for the St. HOPE Public Schools (SHPS) 2019-2020 Admissions Lottery has passed, the 2019-2020 Admissions Lottery and Oak Park Block Party will take place on Thursday, April 18, 2019 and is sure to be total fun in the sun!
The Block Party will take place at the newly-opened Esther’s Park located at 3408 3rd Avenue from 4:00pm-7:00pm and is free to attend! There will be a live DJ, BBQ, Face painting and so much more! Come hang out with us!
Oak Park Speakers Series Special Edition: Reverend Al Sharpton
The Oak Park Speaker Series, presented by Underground Books, hosted a special edition of the series featuring Reverend Al Sharpton on March 18, 2019 at The Guild Theater.
Former Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson highlighted the legacy of Stephon Clark – exactly one year after Stephon’s tragic death – along with special guests, Dr. Tecoy Porter, pastor of Genesis Church and President of the Sacramento Chapter of the National Action Network, along with attorney Benjamin Crump, representative for the families of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown.
1st Annual St. HOPE Public Health Fair!
By Katherine Jung - Student Services Coordinator
Since our scholars must be holistically healthy to achieve their optimal academic potential, we launched St. HOPE’s first Public Health Fair to provide resources that could benefit our students and their families’ psychological, physical, nutritional, medical, and emotional health and well-being.