True. At local or regional book fairs, you'll often see work by self-published or other authors (such as scholars who specialize in a field too narrow for general-interest bookstores) that may be hard to find elsewhere.

Book fairs can have benefits even if you aren't looking to buy a book. Most have talks by or panels with writers that let you learn about authors or types of books, such as romance novels with black characters. They also allow you to connect with fair-goers who share your interests, which may make you feel less isolated. Larger national book fairs or trade shows may charge an admissions fee, but the smaller local or regional ones usually don't.

I'd suggest that any author or aspiring author try to go to at least one to see what they're about and whether they might have benefits for you. You might be surprised by how many black authors there are whom you just haven't heard about.