NYC education panel member markets personal bookstore at school board meeting

Faraji Hannah-Jones used his speaking slot at a July 29 education committee meeting to promote a forthcoming bookstore and bar he will run with his wife, Nikole Hannah-Jones.

At a July 29 meeting of the Education Policy Contracts Committee, Faraji Hannah-Jones took his allotted speaking time to detail a new venture with his wife, journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, called North Star Books and Bar, slated to open on Macon Street in Bedford Stuyvesant in 2026. He emphasized the store will stock titles deemed "banned" and serve spirits from black-owned producers. Councilmember Phil Wong warned that such self-promotion violates Chapter 68 of the City Charter, which prohibits officials from using their roles for personal profit, and he has sent letters to the Conflicts of Interest Board, the Office of Special Investigations, and the Special Commissioner of Investigation to launch probes.

The Department of Education echoed the concern, noting that members of its governance bodies must uphold public-service standards. Former councilman Bob Holden joined the criticism, urging that Hannah-Jones be removed from the committee. Neither the couple nor the City Independent Budget Office responded to requests for comment.