Shrine of the Black Madonna™ Cultural Center & Bookstore (“The Shrine™”) is one of the nation’s largest and oldest black-owned bookstores, with locations in Detroit, Atlanta and Houston. The Shrine™ Bookstore is a non-profit institution that opened in 1970 with the goal of showcasing the creative talents of artists & authors of African descent and empowering people through educational workshops and cultural events.  In addition to containing one of the largest selections of books related to the Black experience, the Shrine™ is also home to the Karamu Art Gallery™ and the Black Holocaust Museum™.

Our objective as an institution of higher learning is to provide an excellent learning environment for all ethnic groups by allowing those of different backgrounds an opportunity to learn about African and African-American culture, history and experience.

Cultural Center & Bookstore
In addition to our literary materials, we also carry a wide assortment of African clothing, hand-crafted jewelry, artist prints, African-American collectibles, greeting cards, gift items and much, much more.

Karamu Art Gallery™
We have one of the most extensive collections of authentic museum-quality art from people of color in Africa, the Caribbean, North America, and South America.  We also have art and sculptures from renowned African-American artists such as Ernie Barnes, Carl Owens, and Brenda Joysmith

African Holocaust Museum™
The African Holocaust Museum™ is an ongoing historical documentation of the experience of slavery in America. The exhibit houses historical information, authentic slave documents, pictures, articles and memorabilia that represent the various aspects of this critical period of African American history.

Over the Years
Since its opening, the Shrine of the Black Madonna™ Cultural Center & Bookstore laid the foundation for what has become an icon in Black literary and cultural circles.  We have been the launching pad and prime showcase for many authors including: