One Book One Bronx Book Club Blends Culture and Literature Again This Fall

Book enthusiasts eagerly await the fall session of One Book One Bronx, a successful local book club that introduces its members to lessons in Black culture and expands upon these ideas through literature. Bronx Native Ron Kavanaugh began the club in 2018 and has since welcomed over 600 people to discuss how books relate to personal and societal issues.

According to Kavanaugh, One Book One Bronx meetings begin as a safe place for community members to discuss ideas presented in a particular book but often end with the attendees commenting on their own relationships, violence fears and a myriad of community concerns. Recent months have spurred thought-provoking discussions on race and police brutality in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

COVID-19 has not halted the momentum of One Book One Bronx. The group has met virtually during the pandemic which has allowed people from across the country to participate in these inspiring discussions.

In addition to facilitating One Book One Bronx meetings, Kavanaugh also serves as the executive director of the Literary Freedom Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing the cultural narratives of Bronx residents to light. He also develops lesson plans that blend culture and literature for secondary educators, and he is actively involved in the annual Mosaic Literary Conference.

Kavanaugh also founded Mosaic, a literary publication that increased opportunities for Black writers. He ran Mosaic for 18 years before continuing conversations about culture through literature in other ways.