Money: anti-racism reading and resources

The Basics

Overview The racial wealth gap didn’t happen by accident. It grew out of slavery, redlining, unequal pay and banks that shut people out. Closing it means changing policy, supporting community-owned businesses and talking openly about who has money and why.

Why this matters, in three numbers.

In 2022 the typical white family had $285,000 in wealth, while the typical Black family had $44,900, about 15% as much. (Federal Reserve, Survey of Consumer Finances)
In spring 2026, 45.4% of Black households owned their homes, compared with 74.5% of non-Hispanic white households. (U.S. Census Bureau, Housing Vacancies and Homeownership (Q2 2026))
Only 60% of Black adults said they were doing at least okay financially in 2025, down 5 points from the year before, compared with 79% of white adults. (Federal Reserve, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025)

Three words that come up again and again on this topic. See all of our key terminology >

Racial Wealth Gap — The difference in household wealth between white families and Black families.
Reparations — Actions taken to repair the harm of slavery and racism, which can include payments to descendants of enslaved people.
Affirmative Action — Policies that give marginalized people fairer access to jobs, schools and contracts.

Three things you can do this month.

Ask your House member to cosponsor H.R. 40. H.R. 40 would create a federal commission to study slavery's lasting harm and propose reparations. It has 118 cosponsors but has sat in the House Judiciary Committee since January 2025. Say: "I'm a constituent, and I want you to cosponsor H.R. 40 and push for a hearing."
Give to Springboard To Opportunities. This Black-led Jackson, Miss., nonprofit runs the Magnolia Mother's Trust, which gives Black mothers $1,000 a month with no strings attached. Your gift helps families build stability on their own terms.
Move some of your money to a Black-owned bank or credit union. Open an account or move savings to a Black-owned bank so your deposits fund loans in Black communities. The FDIC keeps a list you can filter by state.

Can Financial Literacy Education Fix Inequality?
Financial literacy education is often suggested as a remedy for poverty, ignoring how policy, not lack of knowledge, drives economic inequalities.
Andrew Lee Jul 27, 2023
What Closing the Gender Pay Gap Would Look Like
In recognizing Equal Pay Day, we must center the most marginalized and affected by the wage gap in order to achieve gender pay equity.
Nicole Cardoza Mar 14, 2023
How Rising Food Costs Threatens Food Security
The pandemic exposed and exacerbated existing economic inequalities in one of the wealthiest nations, with rising food costs despite insufficient food access at the forefront.
Dominique Stewart Feb 6, 2023
How the Asian Wealth Gap Breaks from Wealth Stereotypes
The Asian wealth gap is also the highest of any racial category, with some Asian nationalities among the worst-paid in the country.
Andrew Lee May 11, 2023
How Financial Crises Shape Social Justice Movements
May 1893 was the beginning of an economic recession with strong parallels to the present day.
Andrew Lee May 9, 2023
Why Do Banks Receive Bailouts Over Other Financial Issues?
With the current political and economic system, special measures to protect financial markets are seen as urgent over efforts to support the survival of everyday people.
Andrew Lee Mar 24, 2023

These groups are led by people of color and work on money and wealth every day. Follow them for updates and ways to help.

National African American Reparations Commission Advocates for reparations for Black Americans. Visit their website, and follow @reparationscomm on Instagram to get updates in your newsfeed.
First Nations Development Institute Native-led group building economic power in Native communities. Visit their website, and follow @fndi303 on Instagram to get updates in your newsfeed.
NALCAB Latino network and lender building wealth, homeownership and small businesses. Visit their website, and follow @nalcabsa on Instagram to get updates in your newsfeed.

Organizers, scholars and journalists who know this topic. Follow them to keep learning.

Darrick Hamilton Economist at The New School. He helped create the idea of baby bonds and explains the racial wealth gap in plain terms. Follow @darrickhamilton on Instagram.
Mehrsa Baradaran Law professor at UC Irvine and author of The Color of Money. She explains how banking and government policy built the racial wealth gap. Follow them here.
Tiffany Aliche Personal finance educator, "The Budgetnista". She gives practical, no-shame money tips on budgeting, debt and saving. Follow @thebudgetnista on Instagram.

Independent newsrooms and newsletters that cover money and wealth often. Read and donate if you can!

Capital B. Black news outlet covering wealth, jobs and economic policy. Follow @capitalbnews on Instagram.
Next City. Coverage of reparations, guaranteed income and community wealth building. Follow @nextcityorg on Instagram.
Nonprofit Quarterly. Nonprofit outlet with a strong economic justice and racial wealth gap beat. Follow @npquarterly on Instagram.
American Inequality. Data and maps on housing, income and opportunity gaps across the U.S. Follow @americaninequality on Instagram.
Rent Party [Reparations]. Reparations and Black wealth through a queer womanist lens.

A book, a film and a podcast by creators of color to go deeper.

Read: From Here to Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the Twenty-First Century (2nd ed.) by William A. Darity Jr. and A. Kirsten Mullen. An economist and a writer trace how the racial wealth gap was built and lay out a plan to close it.
Watch: Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre by Stanley Nelson and Marco Williams. The story of Black Wall Street in Tulsa, how a white mob destroyed it, and what that stolen wealth still costs.
Listen: Brown Ambition by Mandi Woodruff-Santos. Honest weekly talk about money, careers and building wealth as a person of color.

Not sure how to bring this up with family or coworkers? Try one of these.

Did anyone in our family ever own a home or land, and what happened to it?
Why do you think two families with the same income can end up with very different savings?
Do you know where our bank lends its money, and would you switch banks if it helped our community?

ps – this is a community-created guide that is updated often. Want to make changes/corrections? Complete this form.