Meet James Wilson of Mama Ruby’s Bookshelf in Westside

Today we’d like to introduce you to James Wilson.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I am from Nashville, TN. I am the oldest of three. My sisters and I were raised in a single parent household by our mother with much love and support from our grandparents. I was educated in the Metro Nashville Public School system and would attend and graduate from the H.B.C.U., Tennessee State University, a.k.a. Big Blue. My mother helped facilitate black consciousness in my life very effectively, twice. In 1992 when I was five years of age, she picked me up early from Kindergarten to take me to the movies to see Malcolm X biopic, directed by Spike Lee. Even though I couldn’t grasp everything about Malcolm X at such a young age, I knew that who he was and what he stood for was important. The second time came shortly after my 18th birthday when my mother made me watch a speech by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. The boldness, ferociousness, and eloquence that the Minister used in conveying the truth about the black man’s true state in America, in particular, our relation to white people, was like nothing I’d ever heard before.

A few years later, I would be introduced to the concept of Pan Africanism in my Africana Studies courses at Tennessee State University. That concept has been the most important concept that I’ve ever learned about especially in relation to the plight of black people. Life experiences involving my own encounters with white, racist, policemen and watching friends and family, in particular, one of my closest friends, Calvin “Fridge” Bryant, be victimized and exploited by the state of Tennessee’s racist Criminal Justice system helped aid in shaping my reality – a reality that is shared by most black men. The preceding events coupled with newfound fatherhood on my part created a desire in me to be a proponent in changing the reality of black people all across the world. The most pivotal moment in my journey that brought me to this point came when I was around 25 years of age. Years of watching YouTube videos of the Malcolm X and Minister Farrakhan led me to a lecture about Marcus Garvey. I’d never had a formal introduction to the legacy and contributions of the most excellent Marcus Garvey. Marcus Garvey’s vision and pragmatic measures taken to demonstrate black self-reliance was incomparable. I felt slighted and cheated that I did not learn about him as a child. After years of minor research, staying abreast of our plight, and witnessing the murders of unarmed black men by white, racist police departments on the world stage, I decided that I would make a contribution in the form of literature to our future generations and wrote the book “Teach Me About Garvey.” The late great Dr. Amos Wilson and Dr. John Henrik Clarke greatly influenced my decision to do so.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The road has not been smooth at all. Attempting to balance time with being an attentive father and provider proves to be very challenging when trying to commit myself to the work that must be done to liberate the minds of black children.

What else should our readers know?
Mama Ruby’s Bookshelf is a publishing company that I started to develop an arsenal of books and related content geared at African youth to develop an African Identity that encourages and prepares them posses and protect power among the African Diaspora. I named my company after my grandmother who always kept books around so that her house maintained an educational environment.

What were you like growing up?
I was a fun loving child. I grew up with a loving family. I was very funny. Many of my interests then, I still maintain today. I loved dogs, sports, rap music, pro-wrestling, movies, and riding bikes with my friends around our neighborhood. In elementary and middle school, I idolized Master P.

Contact Info:

• Email: JAMESWWRITES@GMAIL.COM
• Instagram: Instagram.com/JamesWrites615
• Facebook: Facebook.com/JamesWrites615
• Twitter: Twitter.com/JamesWrites615
• Other: mrbookshelf.com

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