Mr. Bay’s Bookshelf Encourages Black Boys to Read

On Saturday, May 20, 2017, Ego Couture Salon and The Adjoin Fund took their lead from Barbershop Books in New York, and started Mr. Bay’s Bookshelf in the barbershop and salon at 11259 S. Halsted in Chicago
On Saturday, May 20, 2017, Ego Couture Salon and The Adjoin Fund took their lead from Barbershop Books in New York, and started Mr. Bay’s Bookshelf in the barbershop and salon at 11259 S. Halsted in Chicago

Mr. Bay’s Bookshelf Encourages

Black Boys to Read

On Saturday, May 20, 2017, Ego Couture Salon and T he Adjoin Fund took their lead from Barbershop Books in New York, and started Mr. Bay’s Bookshelf in the barbershop and salon at 11259 S. Halsted in Chicago. Bayard and Collean McCullough, owners of Ego Couture, want African American boys in grades 6th through 8th to have culturally sensitive books available to read while in their barbers’ chairs and during the summer months, which was the main motivation behind the launch. Many educators state that reading among African American youth would be more prevalent if culturally sensitive books were more easily accessible.

Master Barber Bayard, affectionately and respectfully

known as “Mr. Bay,” recalls how important books were to his dad, Willie McCullough, and remembers fondly how his father insisted that his children read as a par t of their daily activities. Bay often tells boys how important reading is in learning the skill of being a barber and an entrepreneur. Getting a barber’s license requires hours of reading to prepare for the test to get a license, and owning a business requires

extensive reading to meet city and state requirements to open a business in Chicago, according to a released statement.

The Adjoin Fund (TAF), a partner in Mr. Bay’s Bookshelf, is a nonprofit citizens organization founded in 2014. TAF currently has more than 175 supporters in Chicago and other cities who contribute to the organization to underwrite literacy

programs specifically for middle school African American boys. In 2017, TAF provided three grants to CPS elementary schools – L avizzo, Smith, and O’Keefee – to do programs to improve the reading skills for their middle school boys. TAF also launched a Kindle Fire Reading Club at Neil School. TAF is underwriting the cost of the books in M r. Bay’s Bookshelf. To

get involved, go to The Adjoin Fund’s website, www.theadjoinfund.org.

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