Black History Month Book Talk: The Rise and Betrayal of the Freedman's Bank

Dr. Justene Hill Edwards' book, Savings and Trust: the Rise and Betrayal of the Freedman's Bank, uncovers new details about the bank established after the Civil War to serve formerly enslaved people. Dr. Hill Edwards' talk will explore the history of the bank, where tens of thousands of African Americans entrusted their life savings, the mismanagement by White leaders leading to its collapse, and its lasting connection to racial economic inequality. In total, bank depositors lost $3.2 million ($89.1 million today). This topic has local significance, as the Freedman's Bank operated a branch in Alexandria. There will be time for audience questions and a reception and book signing will follow. The community is invited and the event is in-person and online. Please register to help us plan, there's no cost: https://gslutheran.net/anti-racism Dr. Justene Hill Edwards is an associate professor of history at the University of Virginia. She is a leading scholar of African American history whose research focuses on Black economic life in the United States. The author of two award-winning books, she has received numerous fellowships, including the Andrew Carnegie Fellowship, and serves on several editorial boards. Her work highlights the relationship between economic and political freedom for people of African descent and brings critical historical insight to contemporary conversations about inequality.

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Website: https://go.evvnt.com/3453851-0

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