I saw an article recently on Black banks in the US that was filled with inaccuracies. It was a public relations piece for the banking industry, so I thought I would post something based on my 20 years of research experience in the sector. 1. What is the historical significance of Black banks? They were created at a time when discrimination against Black people was legal in the US. They served as the only financial service providers to the community. 2. Do Black banks have the same level of significance to the Black community today? Why or why not? No. They are too small to serve the community in any meaningful way. For example, they cannot serve as a line of defense against predatory lending . The result: b anks like Wells Fargo are free to target black communities for shoddy loans : http://www.washingtonpost.com/ business/economy/former-wells- fargo-loan-officer-testifies- in-baltimore-mortgage-lawsuit/ 2012/06/12/gJQA6EGtXV_story. html Some Black banks were trying to help:
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