TSRR Book Club - April
In April, we’re diving into The Secret World of Maggie Grey — a dark academia fantasy set in a hidden magical HBCU where vampires, witches, and sirens walk the same campus halls.
When Maggie discovers her family’s secrets are real, she’s pulled into a world shaped by power, lineage, and danger — and forced to confront who she really is.
Come ready to discuss secrets, power, hidden worlds, and the tension between who you’ve been told you are and who you’re becoming.As always, book club picks are 10% off online and in store.
Card Party Cabaret
Reconnect with the communal joy and strategic genius of Black leisure at the Card Party Cabaret. In partnership with the Presidents' Council, we’re hosting an evening of Spades, Whist, Tonk, and Dominoes—the games that have served as the heartbeat of our social capital for generations. Pull up for a night of healthy competition and organic networking, where we celebrate the culture of the table and the bonds that keep our professional and personal communities thriving.
Independent Bookstore Day
Shop in-store and online to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day with us and get 20% off!
Check out the Northeast Ohio Indie Bookstore Book Shop Hop Digital Passport: https://www.youshould.app/pass/q11PdQnyml3/checklists/29
15% off April 28th through June 30th when you present a passport
LIT CLE Poetry Crawl
This year’s festival theme is "Language as Liberation," named for the newly published book of Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison's academic lectures and honoring the Ohio native's venerable legacy in American literature and culture.
Throughout the festival, we will explore the liberatory potentialities in writing new and different forms of poetry, building literary community, sharing creative work across social and cultural lines, and incorporating the themes and ethics of Toni Morrison's biography and art into our own.
This festival is sponsored by Mac's Backs Books. along with annual support from The Cleveland Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, The George Gund Foundation, and the people of Cuyahoga County through a pulic grant by Cuyahoga Aats and Culture. Partners include Loganberry Books, Hexagon Books, ThirdSpace Reading Room, Clevo Books, The Wandering Lantern, Reading Room CLE, and Visible Voice Books as well as Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards, Cleveland Arts Prize, CSU Poetry Center, One Mic Open, Poetry Unplugged, and Con Tú.
FREE COMMUNITY YOGA
Sometimes the most radical thing we can do is slow down and breathe. Join us for a free community yoga session at the Reading Room — no experience necessary, just show up.
America 250 Ohio: The Greyhound Bus and the Secret History of the Great Migration
When the Great Migration began in the early 20th century, there were very few fully established intercity bus lines. In 1930, through the consolidation of more than 100 different bus lines, the Greyhound Corporation began offering a different kind of experience for millions of passengers every year, many of whom were leaving the South to establish new lives in northern cities, such as Cleveland, Detroit, and Chicago, and cities in the West.
The work of historian Robert Edwards focuses on the architecture of the Great Migration--the spaces, built environments, and vehicles essential to the experience of the journey north and west. In recent years, Edwards acquired and is restoring a vintage 1947 Greyhound Bus, destined to become an interactive museum experience.
As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding, we welcome Edwards to the City Club to offer his unique and compelling perspective on this integral part of our shared history and the journey that shaped our community.
Freedom Lectures: Plant Money, Fund Freedom
Who controls the money controls the vision — and for too long, Black-led organizations have had to bend their visions to fit funding structures that were never built with them in mind. This Freedom Lecture brings together Brianna Rogers and Treye Johnson to explore how personal history, proximity to community, and genuine accountability can reshape funding portfolios to nourish Black-led work rather than constrain it. This is a conversation for practitioners, philanthropists, and anyone who has ever watched a brilliant community vision get diluted by the terms of a grant. Plant Money. Fund Freedom.
A Source of Self-Regard: A Historical Exploration of Toni Morrison's Literature - Session Two
This course is a “deep dive” into the 11 novels of the Lorain native and Nobel Prize-winning author that provides participants four weeks of preparation for each session due to the dense nature and intricate artistry of Morrison’s prose.
Explore the work of a local hero and one of the greatest writers of all time as a uniquely illuminating version of the American narrative, beginning in the 1680s with a mercy and ending in the 2000s with God Help the Child.
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Session 2
May 16th - Sula
You can purchase your Morrison books at a discount for this class this link: Toni Morrisson Collection – ThirdSpace Reading Room
Reader series classes are designed to help you gain a more advanced understanding of literature and the world. Experienced instructors will provide history, context, and analysis, and guide in-depth discussion that will help make you more knowledgeable on a single text or author’s body of work.
Each participant can decide how they choose to engage with the classes. You can read the books ahead of time, read them as the class progresses, or read them after the class has concluded. No matter your level of prior knowledge, you will receive a wealth of materials and insights in a condensed period, like a masterclass or a great course, only right here in Cleveland.
FREE COMMUNITY YOGA
Sometimes the most radical thing we can do is slow down and breathe. Join us for a free community yoga session at the Reading Room — no experience necessary, just show up.
A Source of Self-Regard: A Historical Exploration of Toni Morrison's Literature - Session Two
This course is a “deep dive” into the 11 novels of the Lorain native and Nobel Prize-winning author that provides participants four weeks of preparation for each session due to the dense nature and intricate artistry of Morrison’s prose.
Explore the work of a local hero and one of the greatest writers of all time as a uniquely illuminating version of the American narrative, beginning in the 1680s with a mercy and ending in the 2000s with God Help the Child.
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Session 2
June 20th - Jazz
You can purchase your Morrison books at a discount for this class this link: Toni Morrisson Collection – ThirdSpace Reading Room
Reader series classes are designed to help you gain a more advanced understanding of literature and the world. Experienced instructors will provide history, context, and analysis, and guide in-depth discussion that will help make you more knowledgeable on a single text or author’s body of work.
Each participant can decide how they choose to engage with the classes. You can read the books ahead of time, read them as the class progresses, or read them after the class has concluded. No matter your level of prior knowledge, you will receive a wealth of materials and insights in a condensed period, like a masterclass or a great course, only right here in Cleveland.
A Source of Self-Regard: A Historical Exploration of Toni Morrison's Literature - Session Two
This course is a “deep dive” into the 11 novels of the Lorain native and Nobel Prize-winning author that provides participants four weeks of preparation for each session due to the dense nature and intricate artistry of Morrison’s prose.
Explore the work of a local hero and one of the greatest writers of all time as a uniquely illuminating version of the American narrative, beginning in the 1680s with a mercy and ending in the 2000s with God Help the Child.
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Session 2
July 18th - The Bluest Eye
You can purchase your Morrison books at a discount for this class this link: Toni Morrisson Collection – ThirdSpace Reading Room
Reader series classes are designed to help you gain a more advanced understanding of literature and the world. Experienced instructors will provide history, context, and analysis, and guide in-depth discussion that will help make you more knowledgeable on a single text or author’s body of work.
Each participant can decide how they choose to engage with the classes. You can read the books ahead of time, read them as the class progresses, or read them after the class has concluded. No matter your level of prior knowledge, you will receive a wealth of materials and insights in a condensed period, like a masterclass or a great course, only right here in Cleveland.
The Alzheimer's Association: Purple Sunday
The Northeast Ohio Faith Community and the Alzheimer’s Association invite you to attend the Fourth Annual Purple Sunday, a free program that raises awareness of Alzheimer’s and other dementia.
A Source of Self-Regard: A Historical Exploration of Toni Morrison's Literature - Session One
This course is a “deep dive” into the 11 novels of the Lorain native and Nobel Prize-winning author that provides participants four weeks of preparation for each session due to the dense nature and intricate artistry of Morrison’s prose.
Explore the work of a local hero and one of the greatest writers of all time as a uniquely illuminating version of the American narrative, beginning in the 1680s with a mercy and ending in the 2000s with God Help the Child.
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Session 1
April 18 - Beloved
You can purchase your Morrison books at a discount for this class this link: Toni Morrisson Collection – ThirdSpace Reading Room
Reader series classes are designed to help you gain a more advanced understanding of literature and the world. Experienced instructors will provide history, context, and analysis, and guide in-depth discussion that will help make you more knowledgeable on a single text or author’s body of work.
Each participant can decide how they choose to engage with the classes. You can read the books ahead of time, read them as the class progresses, or read them after the class has concluded. No matter your level of prior knowledge, you will receive a wealth of materials and insights in a condensed period, like a masterclass or a great course, only right here in Cleveland.
Black Queer Collective Kickback Meetup - April
The BLK-Queer Collective is creating an intentional space for queer and trans BIPOC to connect, be themselves, and celebrate life together at the Reading Room. Come as you are, no RSVP needed..
This group’s mission is to create a safe, affirming, and joyful space where queer and trans Black, Indigenous, and People of Color can show up as their full selves, build community, and make new memories together. We’re all about healing, representation, and celebrating our lives and stories through conversation, support, and shared experiences.
All BIPOC fam are welcome—come as you are, bring a friend, and tap into a community that sees you, honors you, and holds space for you. 🖤🌈
Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association Spring Forum
Schedule
Wednesday, April 15
Cleveland Bookstore Bus Tour & Reception Schedule
Join us for a special tour of the unique bookstores Cleveland has to offer! The tour will end with a reception.
1:30 pm ET - Bus Pick-Up at Courtyard by Marriott Cleveland University Circle
Bus pick-up and drop off on Cornell Road
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm ET - Bus Tour featuring:
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm ET - Opening Reception at ThirdSpace Reading Room, Cleveland's only Black-owned Bookstore!
ThirdSpace Reading Room
1464 E 105th St
Cleveland, OH 44106
Thursday, April 16
Loganberry Books
13015 Larchmere Blvd,
Cleveland, OH 44120
Spring Forum
10:00-10:20 AM: Arrival and welcome at Loganberry Books
10:20 AM: Kortney Morrow Discuss the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards Program
The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards recognize books that have made important contributions to our understanding of racism and human diversity. For 90 years, the distinguished books earning Anisfield-Wolf prizes have opened and challenged our minds. Cleveland poet and philanthropist Edith Anisfield Wolf established the book awards in 1935, in honor of her father, John Anisfield, and husband, Eugene Wolf, to reflect her family’s passion for social justice.
10:30-11:00 AM: Catalog Information Session
11:10-11:50 AM: Loganberry Books Bookstore Tour + Bindery
12:00-1:00 PM: Education
Used Books
12:00–12:30 PM Join Harriett Logan (owner of Loganberry Books) and Zach (Manager at McLean & Eakin Booksellers and The Archives in Petoskey, MI) for a deep dive into the world of used bookselling. Drawing on years of experience, they’ll share their philosophies on used books, strategies for sourcing and buying, approaches to inventory management and tracking, and how they determine what makes it onto their shelves. Whether you’re expanding a used section or launching something new, this session will offer actionable insights, with time for audience questions.
Indie Bookstore Day Planning Roundtable
12:30–1:00 PMThe conversation opens up into a collaborative roundtable focused on planning for Independent Bookstore Day. Moderated by GLIBA board and staff, this discussion invites attendees to share their store level plans, as well as larger regional ideas like citywide crawls and statewide tours. Come ready to exchange ideas, spark partnerships, and leave with inspiration for making the most of the day.
1:00-1:30: Lunch Cookbook Feature with Jeremy Umansky, co-author of Koji Alchemy, and owner of Larder
Join us for a presentation and tasting led by Jeremy Umansky, one of the most experienced and vivacious educators on koji, the microbe behind many of the ingredients underpinning Japanese cuisine. Prepare to be astounded by the modern uses of koji, and Umansky's revolutionary fermented food creations, accessible to all cooks. A few lucky attendees will win one of cookbooks, and all attendees will have lunch catered by Cleveland's own local delicacy, Larder.
1:30-2:00:Break to Shop and Taking Care of Needs
2:00-3:20: Meet the Authors
3:30-4:15: Keynote Conversation Horror Feature
Mathilda Zeller in conversation with Kyle Winkler
4:15-5:30: Author Reception
The Alzheimer's Association: Caregiver Luncheon
The Alzheimer's Association Cleveland Area Chapter is hosting a free event for caregivers and their loved ones. We will celebrate caregivers by providing lunch, family portraits, caregiver testimonials and information about free community resources.
Inaugural National Black Bookstore Day
National Black Bookstore Day is coming on April 7th and ThirdSpace Reading Room is ready.
Come through on Tuesday, April 7th and celebrate with us. We're giving away a bundle — sweatshirt, hat, and a $30 gift card — for anyone who makes a purchase on that day, instore or online.
The National Association of Black Bookstores made this one official and the City of Cleveland — a whole national observance dedicated to showing up for Black bookstores across the country. And Cleveland's got one right here. The ThirdSpace Reading Room is your Black Imagination Bookstore, your foundation for Black radical imagination, your spot where the community gathers and the shelves hit different. From Assata, MLK, James Baldwin to Tayari Jones — we stay stocked.
Come through on Tuesday, April 7th and celebrate with us. We're giving away a bundle — sweatshirt, hat, and a $30 gift card — for anyone who makes a purchase on that day, instore or online.
Empowering Women Through Health Access
Register Here
This free community event is all about helping women take control of their health. You’ll leave with real tools, helpful resources, and new connections.
Care Alliance is the only Federally Qualified Health Center in the area specially designated to serve people without housing and those living in public housing. We are committed to making health care easier to access for every woman in our community.
Spots for this event are limited. Register today and send to a friend!
Intergenerational Lunch - Alzheimer’s Association
We're sitting at the table with the Alzheimer's Association for a program covering the difference between Alzheimer's and dementia, risk factors, and what care actually looks like across generations. The elders in our community deserve this knowledge, and so do we.
Sabor a Justicia: Civic Community Dinner
Young Latino Network invites neighbors from all around Cleveland to join them for an evening of food and civic power.🍛💪🏽✨
This event is designed to support our comunidad with the tools needed to navigate local government and make an impact in our community.
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Invitamos a nuestros vecinos de toda Cleveland a unirse a nosotros para una noche de comida y poder cívico.🍛💪🏽✨
Este evento está diseñado para apoyar a nuestra comunidad con las herramientas necesarias para interactuar con el gobierno local y tener un impacto en nuestra comunidad.
📅DATE/FECHA: March 26, 2026
🕕TIME/HORA: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
📍LOCATION/UBICACIÓN: West Cleveland (Details will be shared upon registration)
🍽 FREE DINNER/CENA GRATIS (Please Register in the Link in Bio)
Young Latino Network: Book Discussion "Break The Cycle"
Join us for our March Book Discussion of Break the Cycle by Dr. Mariel Buqué.
Together, we’ll explore how generational trauma impacts our communities and how healing can become a source of resilience, power, and collective transformation.
Healing is an essential part of our ability to walk hand in hand on the road to liberation. It starts here.
FREEDOM to Play
Recreation and play are vital for the healthy development and well-being of children. Yet disparities in neighborhood resources and the criminalization of everyday youth behavior often deny children — particularly Black youth — the freedom to play safely and openly.
Drawing from his experience as a former city recreation supervisor and his research in recreation and youth development, Dr. Pinckney will explore how communities can protect childhood, expand equitable play opportunities, and ensure all youth can thrive.
This event is part of the Cleveland Humanities Festival, co-sponsored by the Schubert Center for Child Studies and the Baker-Nord Center for the Humanities.
Refreshments will be served.
Registration Link
RSVP to attend: https://case.edu/schubertcenter/node/3072
FREE COMMUNITY YOGA
Sometimes the most radical thing we can do is slow down and breathe. Join us for a free community yoga session at the Reading Room — no experience necessary, just show up.
A Source of Self-Regard: A Historical Exploration of Toni Morrison's Literature - Session One
This course is a “deep dive” into the 11 novels of the Lorain native and Nobel Prize-winning author that provides participants four weeks of preparation for each session due to the dense nature and intricate artistry of Morrison’s prose.
Explore the work of a local hero and one of the greatest writers of all time as a uniquely illuminating version of the American narrative, beginning in the 1680s with a mercy and ending in the 2000s with God Help the Child.
-----
Session 1
March 21 - A Mercy
April 18 - Beloved
You can purchase your Morrison books at a discount for this class this link: Toni Morrisson Collection – ThirdSpace Reading Room
Reader series classes are designed to help you gain a more advanced understanding of literature and the world. Experienced instructors will provide history, context, and analysis, and guide in-depth discussion that will help make you more knowledgeable on a single text or author’s body of work.
Each participant can decide how they choose to engage with the classes. You can read the books ahead of time, read them as the class progresses, or read them after the class has concluded. No matter your level of prior knowledge, you will receive a wealth of materials and insights in a condensed period, like a masterclass or a great course, only right here in Cleveland.
Card Party Cabaret
Reconnect with the communal joy and strategic genius of Black leisure at the Card Party Cabaret. In partnership with the Presidents' Council, we’re hosting an evening of Spades, Whist, Tonk, and Dominoes—the games that have served as the heartbeat of our social capital for generations. Pull up for a night of healthy competition and organic networking, where we celebrate the culture of the table and the bonds that keep our professional and personal communities thriving.
LGBTQ+ Book Club
New club, new book. 🌈 In honor of Ohio Celebrating Toni Morrison all year long, our next LGBTQ+ Book Club pick, we’re diving into Sula.
Meet us March 19th to talk through it all. And, as always, book club picks are 10% off online and in-store.
Black Queer Collective Kickback Meetup
The BLK-Queer Collective is creating an intentional space for queer and trans BIPOC to connect, be themselves, and celebrate life together at the Reading Room. Come as you are, no RSVP needed..
This group’s mission is to create a safe, affirming, and joyful space where queer and trans Black, Indigenous, and People of Color can show up as their full selves, build community, and make new memories together. We’re all about healing, representation, and celebrating our lives and stories through conversation, support, and shared experiences.
All BIPOC fam are welcome—come as you are, bring a friend, and tap into a community that sees you, honors you, and holds space for you. 🖤🌈
Young Latino Network’s International Women's Bazaar
Join the Young Latino Network in celebrating International Women’s Day at our first International Women’s Bazaar, a vibrant community market highlighting women-owned businesses, creatives, and entrepreneurs.
TSRR Bookclub
You might as well call us the Toni Morrison Bookstore for the rest of the year because we are dedicating our next official TSRR book club to the icon’s first title, The Bluest Eye.
So come on in. Purchase the title for 10% off. To sweeten the pot, we're also giving a volume discount as well. Make sure you go to our website and shop the Toni Morrison collection. It's Buy More, Save More.
Black Children's Book Week Book Fair
Invest in the next generation of storytellers at the Black Children’s Book Fair. We’re bringing together local Black authors, educators, and families to celebrate literacy and representation in children’s literature. Beyond the books, enjoy free resources and a family-friendly yoga session designed to nurture both the minds and spirits of our youth. Let’s build a foundation of pride and possibility through the stories we give our children.
Intergenerational Lunch BHM Program featuring Ronald Kisner
Gather at the table for a multi-generational exchange of wisdom and history. We are honored to host Ronald Kisner, a veteran journalist formerly of Ebony and Jet Magazine, to share insights from a career spent documenting the Black experience. This lunch program is designed to bridge the gap between our elders and our current practitioners, ensuring the lessons of the past continue to inform our movements for the future.
Buying Back the Block: Fireside Chat with Lyneir Richardson (VIRTUAL)
Get the blueprint for community sovereignty in this virtual fireside chat with Lyneir Richardson. As a leader in commercial real estate and anti-racist investment strategies, Richardson will discuss how we can transition from being residents to being owners of our neighborhoods. This is a must-attend for community developers and supporters ready to implement tangible strategies for buying back the block and securing our economic future.
Karaoke Through The Decades
Celebrate the soundtrack of Black excellence at our Decades Karaoke Night. From Motown soul to 90s R&B and modern Hip-Hop, we’re paying homage to the genres Black artists pioneered and perfected. Dress in your favorite era’s fashion and join us for a night of pure, unadulterated Black joy—where the only rule is that you sing from the heart and celebrate the music that defines us.
3 rules:
1. It must be a song from a genre of music invented by Black Americans (rock, funk, gospel, soul, R&B, etc)
2. It must be a song by a Black artist from the 20th or 21st century
3. You SHOULD/ must know the words and the melody to the song without the karaoke lyrics. Don't go up there singing gibberish and mumbling