Black economists from across the state will meet to discuss the widening wealth gap in America. | Julien Bastide
Economists Address the Wealth Gap
Scholars discuss and offer solutions to widening wealth gap in America
Friday, October 30, 2009
Professor William "Sandy" Darity discusses the state of the African-American economy in an "Office Hours" interview- Professor William "Sandy" Darity discusses a "Baby Bonds" wealth distribution proposal
Regardless of the age, education or income of their members, black households have less than a quarter of the wealth - the net value of accumulated assets after accounting for debt - of comparable white households, according to Duke professor and economist William Darity.
On Nov. 1 and 2, black economists from across the state and beyond will meet at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and at Duke for an African-American Economic Summit to discuss – and offer solutions to – the widening wealth gap in America.
“There has never been a forum to construct a policy agenda addressing the economic crisis in black America conducted by black economists,” says Darity, a Duke professor of public policy and director of Duke’s Research Network on Racial and Ethnic Inequality, co-sponsor of the event. “The premise behind the summit is that the combination of the current economic crisis and ongoing black-white disparities make it compelling that the voice of black economists be heard.”
The first day of the summit will be at UNC-Chapel Hill with a program opened by N.C. state senator Dan Blue, who chairs Duke’s board of trustees. Experts will convene on Duke’s campus for the second day of the summit, which is open to the public, with registration required.
Economists and sociologists will offer commentary on a range of issues, including health insurance, wealth inequality, and housing and subprime mortgages.
At 1 p.m. the experts will enter a series of closed sessions and work groups to produce a set of recommendations which they will circulate to an array of influential policymakers.
“This will be one of the few times that economists with expertise in the issues facing African-Americans will have a collective voice in making policy recommendations.” said Fatimah L.C. Jackson, Ph.D., director of UNC’s Institute of African-American Research and co-organizer of the summit.
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Lecture: African-American Economic Summit
8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday, Nov. 2
Social Sciences Research Institute, 2024 W. Main St.
Registration required.
Information: unc.edu/iaar/economic_summit_homepage.htm
