Brighton bookshop Afrori Books won the individual bookseller of the year award last night at The Bookseller awards.
Owner of Afrori Books, Carolynn Bain collected the award, known as the Nibbies, on stage at the British Book Awards held at Grosvenor House Hotel in London.
Accepting the award, Ms Bain said: “I keep getting up every morning and shouting from the rooftops that Black authors are doing incredible work and they deserve the platform, they deserve the acknowledgement, they deserve the space in this industry and Black people deserve to see themselves represented in books.
“Until that changes, I’ll keep getting up, I’ll keep doing 70 hours a week, I’ll keep being in the worst paid job I’ve ever had but the best job I’ve ever had.
Ms Bain said: “The last few months have been a challenge and it is wonderful to see our hard work recognised at this major platform.
“Our gratitude goes out to all of our authors and customers who have cheered us on continuously and given us the will to keep going. We have so much more to do.”
Judges said: “Carolynn has done life-affirming and absolutely essential work.
“She saw a situation and was not just a voice: she acted.”
Afrori Books is the UK’s only independent black-owned bookshop, specialising in books by black authors.
The store has recently moved to the Brighthelm Centre on North Road from Kensington Street in the North Laine.
