Balancing Local Empowerment and Structural Support

Brookings Senior Fellow Andre M. Perry has a new book out today which measures what he calls the “racial gap” in America and asks what we can do to close it. Entitled The Black Power Scorecard, it draws on extensive research and analysis to quantify how much power Black Americans actually have. Using big data metrics, Perry compares Black communities to each other rather than to white populations to highlight local progress and solutions. The results are more encouraging that some might think. Perry argues for investing in Black-owned businesses and assets, noting they often deliver high quality products and services despite receiving less revenue. More W.E.B. Du Bois than Booker T Washington, Perry advocates for structural change while recognizing the importance of local solutions, rejecting the notion that Black communities must rely solely on Booker T’s self-help doctrine.

Five Key Takeaways

* Perry's "Black Power Scorecard" focuses on factors that promote Black thriving rather than deficits, identifying 13 key predictors of life expectancy including home ownership, income, and clean air.

* His research compares Black communities to each other rather than to white populations to highlight local progress and solutions that are often masked by national aggregate statistics.

* Data shows Black-owned businesses often score higher on quality metrics (Yelp ratings) yet receive less revenue, demonstrating both quality and systemic barriers.

* Perry argues that investing in Black communities benefits everyone, rejecting zero-sum thinking while still acknowledging the need to address specific discriminatory practices.

* He takes a "Hamiltonian" structural approach, believing change requires both local solutions and government/corporate involvement, rejecting the notion that Black communities must rely solely on self-help.

Andre M. Perry is a senior fellow and director of the Center for Community Uplift at the Brookings Institution. He is also a professor of practice of economics at Washington University in St. Louis. A nationally known and respected commentator on race, structural inequality, and education, Perry is the author of the forthcoming book “Black Power Scorecard: Measuring the Racial Gap and What We Can Do to Close It,” published by Henry Holt, available April 15, 2025 wherever books are sold. In 2020, Brooking Press published Perry’s previous book, “Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in America’s Black Cities.” Perry is a regular contributor to MSNBC and has been published by numerous national media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Nation, Bloomberg CityLab, and CNN.com. Perry has also made appearances on HBO, CNN, PBS, National Public Radio, NBC, and ABC. Perry’s research focuses on race and structural inequality, education, and economic inclusion. Perry’s recent scholarship at Brookings examines well-being across racial groups and regions in America, focusing on how investments in critical assets can lead to thriving.   Perry’s pioneering work on asset devaluation has made him a go- to researcher for policymakers, community development professionals, and civil rights groups. Perry co-authored the groundbreaking 2018 Brookings Institution report “The Devaluation of Assets in Black Neighborhoods,” and has presented its findings on the price of homes in Black neighborhoods across the country, including to the U.S. House Financial Services Committee. He has extended that report’s focus on housing in Black neighborhoods to include other assets such as businesses, schools, and banks.  A native of Pittsburgh, Perry earned his Ph.D. in education policy and leadership from the University of Maryland, College Park.

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