Dallas Public Library

Our black year, one family's quest to buy black in America's racially divided economy, Maggie Anderson with Ted Gregory

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

mapsillustrations

index present

non fiction

Our black year

bibliography

Maggie Anderson with Ted Gregory

one family's quest to buy black in America's racially divided economy

On January 1, 2009, Maggie and John Anderson, a successful African American couple raising two daughters in a Chicago suburb, engaged in a social experiment to reinvest in the black community and buy from only black-owned businesses for a year. Throughout that time the Andersons combed Chicago in search of a black-owned supermarket, dry cleaner, gas station, pharmacy, and clothing store. Our black year is the story of what they learned. Maggie examines the commercial exploitation of black neighborhoods through the lens of her year supporting black-owned businesses. She discovers that black businesses lag behind businesses of all other racial and ethnic groups in every measure of success, and argues that the social crises that disproportionately impact black people and underserved black neighborhoods could be countered through "conscious consumerism"--supporting businesses that empower struggling communities. At once a personal journey and an investigation into the causes of a persistent economic suffering, this is a hard-hitting call to action to close a gaping hole in the American economy--one purchase at a time--From publisher description

"You have a blessed day" -- Canvassing the community -- Leakage -- A dose of reality -- "A mighty economic power" -- The turbulent dew -- The colors of racism -- The trouble is us -- In the groove -- Our problems, your solutions -- A rewired family