Black Capitalism and the City

Ginger Nolan

In response to discriminatory state policies, Black-owned insurance companies of the 20th century played a crucial role in bolstering African American communities. Yet these businesses were also beholden to calculations of financial risk that tended to deepen social divides. To what extent did this double bind reinforce cycles of poverty and neglect?

Balancing business demands and the desire to bolster African American communities, Black-owned insurance companies of the 20th century were caught in an actuarial double bind.

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The Inequality Chronicles

The Inequality Chronicles features detailed explorations of racial, economic, and social inequities — from historical roots to contemporary effects — in major U.S. cities.

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