The Black family has always struggled within the United States. The Black family unit of Man, Woman, and Child, suffered at the hands of the slaver, the government, systems of oppression and whelms of society as outside forces to bring about harm to the Black family. For example, as soon as the Emancipation of Proclamation happened, laws like the Black Codes, Jim Crow Laws, and Plessy v Ferguson were put in place to keep rob Black families of achieving independence and enjoy the promises of the Constitution, achieve financial independence, and plainly just live in peace.
Laws like the Mississippi Black Codes were put in place to deny Black citizens the basic right to:
- Obtain wealth.
- Own land.
- If Black people owned anything that was profitable White Supremacy culture allowed White people to take it from them with no recourse in order to keep Black people from being profitable.
This is the very reason that wealthy Black communities like Black Wall Street and Rosewood were allowed to be burned to the ground. Today it’s gentrification that is taking place and poorer African Americans are losing homes to increased taxes and predatory practices on our elderly.
When the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was put in place it was designed to combat against racial laws supporting White Supremacy. It was originally a set of laws which focused on African American equality. Less than 4 years later with the addition of the 1968 Civil Rights Act we find that it has been watered down and now inclusive of everyone.
However, despite every opposition thrown at the Black family unit, we have found ways to overcome and succeed. Many reasons we have been able to overcome are the bond of the family unit, faith, an external oppressor, and the focus on group economics.
What is group economics? It’s when a group of people come together with one common goal to benefit financially. An example of this is the practice of bartering. Mary would go to the store and buy 5 chickens on sale for $1.49. She would bring the chickens home and call Joann, Regina, Mattie, and Rose tell them she bought chickens on sale. Joann said she has a bag of rice and she wants to trade rice for a chicken.
Mary sends her son down to Joann’s house to bring her the chicken and get the rice. Regina says she has 2 bags of green beans she wants to trade for a chicken and a cup of rice from Joann. Regina then sends her daughter to Mary and Joann’s home to get the chicken and rice and trades green beans.
Mattie says she just picked a bundle of lemons from her tree in the backyard and wants to trade them for chicken, rice, and green beans. So, she sends her son to collect the food from the ladies, and in turn gives them each lemons.
Rose has 10 pounds of sugar and says she wants to trade some to each of the ladies to get the chicken, rice, green beans, and lemons. She sends her daughter to the ladies and collects the goods and makes the trade. Each lady has enough to cook a meal and enjoy a drink of lemonade.
Each lady had something to share which in turn saved them money. Their families were able to eat an entire meal and no one went lacking. They improved each other’s lives economically. This is how Black people banded together in community and as family.
As you can see this form of group economics sustained the Black family and many families were able to survive because of it. I imagine that some of you practice bartering.
But we as a Black family on a holistic basis need to get back to the basics of group economics in order to prosper. If we get back into the practice of group economics, we can benefit and grow not just a family but as a people. Group economics can heal not just the Black family but the Black community as a whole.
Here are a few ways to use group economics:
- Start a business and buy from a Black supply chain.
- Support a Black-owned business.
- Hire Black workers.
- Open an account at a Black bank.
- Attend community events.
- Create a community garden.
- Start Black schools.
- Create trust funds for your children.
- Join a community investment group.
- Improve your understanding of finance and economics.
These are just a few ways we can start to bring wealth back into the community. If we as a family unit practice these steps, imagine what an entire community practicing group economics can do.
