View All Events

Freedom Books and the Boycott of Crabtree Valley Mall

Date and Time

• Wednesday, Jul 8, 2026  5:30pm - 7pm

Location

Visit Website

Details

Join the Gregg Museum of Art & Design for an insightful discussion exploring a pivotal moment in Raleigh’s social and retail history. Through a conversation with three key figures, the discussion will unpack the origins of the Crabtree Valley Mall boycott, the role of Freedom Books — Raleigh’s first African American bookstore —  in the boycott, the leadership of Black youth and the legacy of Malcolm X. From the front lines of the 1970s labor disputes to modern-day social justice demonstrations, this talk will examine how a shopping center became a stage for community power and political expression. The speakers will be:

• Midtown Legal Group attorney Ta-Letta Bryant, who helped lead the boycott when she was a high school student in southeast Raleigh
• Health equity researcher and action consultant Niasha Fray, who played a leading role in the boycott
• Dukes Ice Cream and Dogs owner Morris “Duke” Freeman Sr., who participated in the boycott and helped build a Black youth organization in southeast Raleigh after the boycott

Ajamu Dillahunt-Holloway, an assistant professor of African American history and public history at NC State and the grandson of the owners of Freedom Books, will moderate the discussion. Dasan Ahanu, co-founder and managing director of the Durham-based Black Poetry Theatre, will kick off the program with a spoken word.

This program is presented in conjunction with the featured exhibition, Community Stories: Sustaining North Carolina’s Black Heritage, which presents a series of vignettes exploring spaces of dignity, belonging, safety, and imagination within Black communities across North Carolina.

Following the program, attendees can ask questions and explore the exhibition, which will be available at the Gregg to view from July 2, 2026, to Feb. 27, 2027.

This event is free, but registration is required.