A National Movement · Launching Juneteenth 2026
Uniting Black mayors across America with the spirit of the Obama Foundation — shining a national light on public libraries as the heartbeat of every community.
Public libraries are one of the last truly free, open-to-all community spaces in America. For Black communities especially, they are lifelines — for job seekers, students, children, seniors, and families navigating hard times.
But they are chronically underfunded, overlooked, and undervalued. At a time when Black institutions are under attack, it is more important than ever to stand up for the spaces that serve us.
The Black Mayors Tour calls on Black mayors across America — united through the African American Mayors Association — to lead public library events in their own cities. Creating powerful community moments in every market, under one national banner, aligned with the mission of the Obama Foundation.
This is not just a tour. This is a declaration that our libraries matter, our mayors matter, and our communities matter.
A single Threads post about Barack Obama visiting Black mayors went viral — 854+ likes and growing — and caught the personal attention of Mayor Leonardo Williams of Durham, NC, who followed, sent a DM, and extended an invitation to his city. What started as a spotlight on a historic alignment of Black leadership became the seed of a national movement.
Add your name. We're collecting signatures to show Black mayors and the Obama Foundation that communities across America are ready for this tour.
Your information is collected solely to demonstrate community support for the Black Mayors Tour. We will not sell or share your data.
Thank you for signing. Share this petition and help bring the Black Mayors Tour to every city in America. Every signature gets us closer to Mayor Scott and the Obama Foundation.