Basic Information:
Author: Hedreich Nichols, Kelisa Wing
Edition: epub on Libby from the Los Angeles Public Library
Publisher: Cherry Lake Press
ISBN: 9781534199347
Start Date: February 22, 2023
Read Date: February 22, 2023
32 pages
Genre: History, Interracial Understanding
Language Warning: None
Rated Overall: 3 out of 5
Thoughts:
Introduction: Untold Stories of Black Wealth
Book will concentrate on places where Blacks have had success. Communities where wealth was built. These communities fostered entrepreneurs, politicians, inventors,, academicians and business owners.
Talks about a heritage in Africa where the art and sciences and military and industry lead to great achievement. Talks about the greatness of the African nations and then how Europeans kidnapped Africans and made them slaves in American colonies.
What the book leaves out is if the African nations were so great, how did they succumb to Europeans?
Chapter 1 The Sweet Auburn District, Atlanta, Georgia
Talks about Alonzo Herndon-freedman, homeless without money. Started barber shops which served white men. Then branched into insurance. Made his money there. Citizens Trust Bank-Herman E Perry’s bank became the foundation of this district in Atlanta.
Talks about the area as thriving even now and is a protected historical area. Notes that after the Civil War, a quarter of the Black population died due to starvation and sickness.
Notes that “shortly” after the Civil War Jim Crow laws forced Blacks into segregated areas. (According to Wikipedia, the first laws were in the 1870’s but came fully into effect after the Plessy Supreme Court ruling of 1896.
Chapter 2 Bronzeville, Chicago, Illinois
In Chicago’s South Side. The area was because of the Great Migration from the South Jesse Binga made the area’s prosperity possible. Provident Hospital was the first Black owned and operated hospital. Trained Black doctors as well as served the Blacks of the area. Quincy Jones was from that area.
Chapter 3 The Fourth Avenue District, Birmingham, Alabama
Thriving area of retail business, theaters, and offices. Three block area. A.G. Gaston was an instigator of the area. Started as a funeral insurance and branched out into construction, radio, banking, and a business college. Its era ended when the Jim Crow era ended.
Chapter 4 Allensworth, California
This is the reason why I checked out the book. A bit disappointing as there were only two pages and it was pretty bare bones. It talks about Col Allen Allensworth being the instigator of the town. Also how community and education was valued.
Chapter 5 Black Wall Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Talks about Greenwood, Tulsa and the 1921 riot. Greenwood was the brainchild of O.W. Gurley. A place where Blacks could be equal with one another.
The last page of this chapter lists other places such as New York’s Harlem, Houston’s Third Ward, DC’s U St, …
Black Wealth in the United States Today
The author explains that Black communities still face challenges today. There are Black billionaires today. But previous laws block Blacks from progressing through the layers to obtain wealth. Redlining was one way. To the authors, it shows that prosperity is feasible and can be found within their communities.
Making a Way Out of NO WAY!
Talks about creating a vision board and journaling about their future. Write about the world you want.
Extended Your Learning
Resources for the audience.
Evaluation:
This book was a mismatch on two counts with me. First, I had visited Allensworth and was interested in finding more information on the town. Second, the publisher's target audience was 5th through 8th graders. So take this review with that in mind.
There are five places in America which this book gives a summary about, plus two chapters on Black wealth, and one on journaling. For each of the five places, a summary of the accomplishments and people which created the environment for a given particular location. Also how in some places the prosperity did not last. Given that only about four pages, and usually a paragraph per page, there is not much detail given, only enough to whet an appetite.
The authors are concentrating more on motivating grade school children that they too can rise above their current levels. But that is not what this person was looking for. So it was not a good fit for me.
- Sick from Freedom by Jim Downs
- Green Power: The Successful Way of A.G. Gaston by A.G. Gaston
Good Quotes:
- First Line: When we read about Black history,, we usually read about moments connected with enslavement and oppression, or protests and civil rights.
- Last Line: Write or draw in your Justice Journal and create a vision for your community. Dream big!!!
- Introduction: Untold Stories of Black Wealth 4
- Chapter 1 The Sweet Auburn District, Atlanta, Georgia 8
- Chapter 2 Bronzeville, Chicago, Illinois 12
- Chapter 3 The Fourth Avenue District, Birmingham, Alabama 16
- Chapter 4 Allensworth, California 20
- Chapter 5 Black Wall Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma 24
- Black Wealth in the United States Today 28
- Making a Way Out of NO WAY! 31
- Extended Your Learning 32
References:
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