The Publix-Black Book Bash Controversy: When Corporate Sponsorship Meets Political Climate
A Literary Celebration Caught in a Sponsorship Dispute
The Black Book Bash, a three-day literary festival celebrating Black authors and culture, was set to open this weekend in Jacksonville, Florida, with much anticipation. Instead, the event found itself at the center of a heated controversy after organizers alleged that grocery giant Publix withdrew its title sponsorship just days before the October 3-5 event, forcing organizers to use personal funds to keep the festival on track.
What should have been a straightforward celebration of Black literature, storytelling, and community has instead ignited a firestorm of debate about corporate responsibility, political climate, and what it means to support cultural events in today's polarized environment.
Two Conflicting Stories
Casey Kelley and La-Tasha Estelle, the two Black women who founded the Black Book Bash, claim they had been in communication with someone from a Publix.com email address for months, including multiple calls, virtual meetings, and emails that led to an agreement for title sponsorship with exclusivity.
The organizers shared an email with News4JAX that appeared to show Publix rescinding its sponsorship offer, which stated: "I regret to inform you that Publix [is] no longer able to offer sponsorships for the foreseeable future. In this volatile [climate], we have pulled all sponsorships for the foreseeable future".
Notably, the email came from an address ending with "@publix.com" — the same domain News4JAX uses to communicate with Publix's corporate communications team.
However, Publix tells a completely different story. The company firmly denies ever agreeing to sponsor the event, with a communications director stating after an investigation that "Publix never agreed to sponsor or serve as the title sponsor of this event". Publix later confirmed definitively that the communication rescinding sponsorship was never sent by the company.
The Community Response
The controversy has sparked significant backlash against Publix, with many calling for boycotts of the Florida-based grocery chain. On social media, critics have urged shoppers to take their business elsewhere, with some customers pledging to redirect thousands of dollars in annual grocery spending to competitors.
Food critic Starex Smith, known as The Hungry Black Man, noted Publix's history of political contributions, from NRA-backed candidates after Parkland to sponsors of Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill and Governor Ron DeSantis's PAC, as well as heiress Julie Jenkins Fancelli's contribution to help stage the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Smith argued that "against this backdrop, declining to support a Black literary conference seems less like neutrality and more like abandonment".
The Event Goes On
Despite the controversy, organizers insist the Black Book Bash will proceed as scheduled, with a lineup including comedian and actor Roy Wood Jr., Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, actress Kim Fields, and Dr. Ian Smith. The community has rallied with donations and support, with organizers declaring: "We didn't flinch. We doubled down. When folks pull out, the community pulls up, and y'all have shown out".
The festival represents more than just a literary event. It's a community celebration of literature, authorship, and family engagement, with programming aimed at children, families, and book lovers across Jacksonville and beyond, while also serving as a platform for local literacy initiatives.
What This Reveals About Corporate Courage
Whether Publix actually committed to sponsorship or not, this controversy raises uncomfortable questions about corporate support for cultural events in our current political climate. If the sponsorship was real and then withdrawn citing "political climate," it suggests that celebrating Black literature and voices has somehow become politicized to the point where corporations fear association. If the sponsorship was never real, it highlights the challenges grassroots organizers face in securing support and the power dynamics at play.
As organizers stated: "This is bigger than books. This is about Black stories. Black joy. Black freedom".
The Black Book Bash will happen this weekend, with or without Publix. And in that determination lies perhaps the most important message of all: Black cultural celebration doesn't require corporate blessing to thrive—it simply requires community.
For those interested in supporting the event, donations are being accepted through the organizers' website, and the festival runs October 3-5 at the Hyatt Regency Riverfront Jacksonville.
The facts of this controversy remain disputed between the parties involved. What's undisputed is that a community came together to ensure that Black voices, stories, and literature would be celebrated regardless of corporate support.