Enoch Pratt Library hosts annual Booklovers' Breakfast in honor of Black History Month

Award-winning author Angela Flournoy spoke at the 38th annual event, highlighting the importance of chosen family and Black-owned bookstores.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore hosted its 38th annual Black History Month Booklovers' Breakfast on February 7, featuring author and NAACP Image Award finalist Angela Flournoy. Flournoy spoke about the inspiration behind her novels "The Wilderness" and "The Turner House," which explore themes of friendship and chosen family among the Black community. The event also emphasized the significance of Black-owned bookstores like MahoganyBooks, which sponsored the breakfast and provided copies of Flournoy's books for purchase.

Why it matters

The Enoch Pratt Booklovers' Breakfast is an important annual event that celebrates Black authors and literature during Black History Month. As efforts continue to ban books and erase African-American history, events like this help promote Black stories and the vital role of Black-owned bookstores in providing access to these narratives within the community.

The details

At the breakfast, Flournoy read excerpts from her novel "The Wilderness" and discussed how her own experiences with close friendships inspired the book's exploration of the importance of "chosen family" among marginalized groups. She also shared the story of how she met her close friends, actresses Aja Naomi King and Ashley Nicole Black, who later narrated the audiobook version of "The Wilderness." The event was sponsored by the Black-owned bookstore MahoganyBooks, which emphasized its role as a "pillar in the community" in providing access to Black literature.

  • The Enoch Pratt Booklovers' Breakfast took place on February 7, 2026.
  • The event marked the 38th annual celebration of Black History Month at the Enoch Pratt Free Library.

The players

Angela Flournoy

An award-winning author and NAACP Image Award finalist known for her novels "The Wilderness" and "The Turner House." She was the featured speaker at the Enoch Pratt Booklovers' Breakfast.

Enoch Pratt Free Library

A public library system in Baltimore, Maryland that has hosted the annual Booklovers' Breakfast in honor of Black History Month for the past 38 years.

MahoganyBooks

A Black-owned bookstore located in the National Harbor that served as a sponsor for the Enoch Pratt Booklovers' Breakfast, providing copies of Angela Flournoy's books for purchase.

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What they’re saying

“Friends are the family you chose. I have two sisters, but I've always been on the hunt for more sisters.”

— Angela Flournoy, Author (afro.com)

“Who historically has needed to choose their family most? The enslaved whose biological relations might be stolen from them at any moment.”

— Angela Flournoy, Author (afro.com)

“No one can control whether our stories have significance or not, and access to those stories. Black bookstores make access to our stories possible every single day. We are pillars in our community.”

— Ramunda Young, Co-owner, MahoganyBooks (afro.com)

What’s next

The Enoch Pratt Free Library plans to continue hosting the annual Booklovers' Breakfast in the coming years to celebrate Black authors and literature during Black History Month.

The takeaway

This event highlights the vital role that Black-owned bookstores and Black authors play in preserving and promoting African-American history and culture, especially at a time when there are ongoing efforts to ban books and erase these important narratives.