The Retirement Crisis Facing Black Americans
Long-standing income and wealth disparities along with low savings rates have endangered retirement readiness for millions of elderly Black Americans, who still haven't recovered from the devastating impact of the 2008 housing crash. The coronavirus pandemic has worsened an already bleak outlook.

The author tells the history of the Freedman’s Savings Bank, how it grew much too quickly, why it failed and the impact on Black America. The Freedman’s Bank offered a safe depository for formerly enslaved people, expanded quickly and gained millions in deposits – mostly ranging from $5 to $50. But inexperience and corruption doomed it to failure, costing may of the small depositors their savings.


