About Dr. Bruce Bridges

A person in a black suit, white shirt, and patterned tie pointing toward the camera with a neutral expression.

Dr. Bruce Bridges is a lifelong resident of Durham, North Carolina. He has traveled extensively in the United States as well as West Africa. Bridges received degrees from North Carolina Central University and the University of Cincinnati (both through academic scholarships). He received a Ph.D. in African History from the University of the West Indies. Bridges returned to Durham to become a professor of history at Saint Augustine's College and at North Carolina Central University. He taught and aided in the development of the African Studies Program at North Carolina State University and conducts cultural awareness seminars and workshops for educators and the community. 


Dr. Bridges is one of the most dynamic speakers of our time. He has a storehouse of information that will undoubtedly be appreciated by all who seek enlightenment and education. He is a master of facts and always brings forward information that can supplement the traditional curricula by disclosing facts that have been systematically changed, omitted, or denied. The diversity of his knowledge and expertise is phenomenal. His command of that knowledge and charismatic style endear him to every listener. 


Dr. Bridges has lectured on campuses across 30 of the continental United States and in Africa. James L. Reese, assistant dean of Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, said, "Bridges challenged the audience with so many facts that several of them headed for the library shortly after the question and answer period. Besides his thorough wealth of knowledge, his delivery and style were both entertaining and personable. It was a very enjoyable evening for all."


Dr. Bridges is popular in print, visual, and audio mediums. He originated and hosted two talk radio programs and a newspaper column in Durham, North Carolina. The National Arts and Entertainment Network documentary, A Dream of the South, featured him. In addition to these vocations, Dr. Bridges established the first African American bookstore and cultural center called the Know Book Store, a cherished commodity in the city of Durham. Scholar Dr. C. Eric Lincoln of Duke University said, "The Know Bookstore is an institution of unusual significance in the Research Triangle area. African Americans and others interested in the African American experience rely with confidence on the Know Bookstore to carry the books they need. Bruce Bridges keeps the Black experience in stock." 


Dr. Bridges is the author of The Ghetto Mind and The Roots of Geography. His most recent work is “Recapturing the African Mind.” He is recognized as an expert in the fields of history, geopolitics, and multicultural systems. Currently, he is a consultant for Marlon and Tito Jackson of the Jackson Five for the Motherland project in Nigeria. He lectured at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Nigeria, West Africa. He appeared recently on “The Yah is Real” television program in Chicago. Dr. Bridges was also involved with the African American Summit at Halifax Community College in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, where he conducted a workshop entitled Cultural Diversity Across the Curriculum for the Department Chairs. He is currently teaching at the Apex School of Theology in Durham, North Carolina.

History The Know: The First African American bookstore in Durham

The Know Bookstore, founded by Dr. Bruce Bridges in 1981, was the first African American bookstore and cultural center and a cherished commodity in the city of Durham. Scholar Dr. C. Eric Lincoln (Duke University) said, "The Know Bookstore is an institution of unusual significance in the Research Triangle area. African Americans and others interested in the African American experience rely with confidence on the Know BookStore to carry the books they need. Bruce Bridges keeps the black experience in stock. "Dr. Bridges closed The Know Book Store in 2010.

Contact Us