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The History of Black Business in America: Capitalism, Race, Entrepreneurship to 1865
Walker, Juliet E. K.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 29, 2010
This book is an excellent study of history in America. It is very inspiring so far and I recommend it to any young black male or female who needs a little self confidence or empowerment.
November 20, 2025
In “The History of Black Business in America,” Juliette E.K. Walker—professor, historian, and scholar in the field of Black entrepreneurship—provides a comprehensive account of the role and history of business practices among African Americans from their earliest days in North America. In doing so, she explodes dehumanizing mythologies about African-descended people and expertly depicts how Black folks have used business, thrift, entrepreneurship, and economic cooperation to mitigate the devastating impacts of slavery, Jim Crow, and invidious discrimination.
Walker begins this historical account, quite notably, in pre-colonial West and West-Central Africa, where outlined and summarized the highly complex and sophisticated business practices of the ancestors of African Americans. Walker spent an entire chapter on this subject in order to make clear that enslaved Africans already had a business and cooperative economic tradition to build on and draw from. They were not blank slates, nor did were they forced to wait on their American slave-masters for their subsistence. To the contrary, African Americans were descended from various African peoples who were business experts in every way a people can be. Walker upends myths about Africans’ supposed disillusionment with “private property” and profit-orientation, while situating African economic life in its proper communal framework. This chapter could easily be turned into a book in itself. Ultimately, Walker describes how “African Survivalisms”—that is the cultural memory of African-descended people in America of their traditional practices—served as the foundation for all Black economic activity in America going forward.
The running theme throughout this book is Black people managing to engage in complex business activities at all points in American history despite the virulent racism all around them—only to ultimately have those activities limited and sometimes entirely taken away by that racism. Walker illuminates this ebb and flow of Black business progress and setbacks by depicting the stories of Black entrepreneurs from as far back as the Johnson family of 17th Century Virginia. In doing so, Walker highlights and contextualized the thorny issues of Black slave-ownership and attempted participation in exploitative capitalist enterprise.
It was interesting to learn about the extent to which state and local governments in the South went to suppress economic activity among enslaved Africans. Walker did a great job detailing this history, revealing along the way the irony in white folks’ longstanding claim that Black people are “lazy,” juxtaposed with efforts to keep a lid on Black entrepreneurial vigor. Further, the white power structure recognized a direct connection between independent economic activity amongst the enslaved, and the overall resistance against slavery by African people. Walker highlighted this connection n by revealing the independent economic activities of famous Black slave insurrectionists.
While I enjoyed the book, I think it was ultimately bogged down by a long and drawn-out hyper-focus on the Civil War, as well as an overemphasis on Black entrepreneurship as a capitalist (rather than a communal) endeavor. I think Walker missed the opportunity to speak to the long history of cooperative economics during this era. Nevertheless, this book is extremely valuable.
Walker begins this historical account, quite notably, in pre-colonial West and West-Central Africa, where outlined and summarized the highly complex and sophisticated business practices of the ancestors of African Americans. Walker spent an entire chapter on this subject in order to make clear that enslaved Africans already had a business and cooperative economic tradition to build on and draw from. They were not blank slates, nor did were they forced to wait on their American slave-masters for their subsistence. To the contrary, African Americans were descended from various African peoples who were business experts in every way a people can be. Walker upends myths about Africans’ supposed disillusionment with “private property” and profit-orientation, while situating African economic life in its proper communal framework. This chapter could easily be turned into a book in itself. Ultimately, Walker describes how “African Survivalisms”—that is the cultural memory of African-descended people in America of their traditional practices—served as the foundation for all Black economic activity in America going forward.
The running theme throughout this book is Black people managing to engage in complex business activities at all points in American history despite the virulent racism all around them—only to ultimately have those activities limited and sometimes entirely taken away by that racism. Walker illuminates this ebb and flow of Black business progress and setbacks by depicting the stories of Black entrepreneurs from as far back as the Johnson family of 17th Century Virginia. In doing so, Walker highlights and contextualized the thorny issues of Black slave-ownership and attempted participation in exploitative capitalist enterprise.
It was interesting to learn about the extent to which state and local governments in the South went to suppress economic activity among enslaved Africans. Walker did a great job detailing this history, revealing along the way the irony in white folks’ longstanding claim that Black people are “lazy,” juxtaposed with efforts to keep a lid on Black entrepreneurial vigor. Further, the white power structure recognized a direct connection between independent economic activity amongst the enslaved, and the overall resistance against slavery by African people. Walker highlighted this connection n by revealing the independent economic activities of famous Black slave insurrectionists.
While I enjoyed the book, I think it was ultimately bogged down by a long and drawn-out hyper-focus on the Civil War, as well as an overemphasis on Black entrepreneurship as a capitalist (rather than a communal) endeavor. I think Walker missed the opportunity to speak to the long history of cooperative economics during this era. Nevertheless, this book is extremely valuable.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews