

Justene Hill Edwards, "Savings and Trust: The Rise and Betrayal of the Freedman's Bank" (Norton, 2024)
Nov 3, 2024
Justene Hill Edwards, an associate professor at the University of Virginia and author of 'Unfree Markets', discusses her latest book on the Freedman's Bank, a pivotal institution for freed African Americans post-Civil War. She reveals how the bank was intended to foster economic independence but ultimately collapsed due to mismanagement by its white financiers. Through powerful narratives, she connects this historical betrayal to ongoing issues of inequality in America, emphasizing the importance of financial education in advocating for economic justice.
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
1 2 3 4 5 6
Intro
00:00 • 2min
Understanding Finance Through the Lens of Slavery
02:11 • 2min
The Freedmen's Bank: Origins and Challenges
04:39 • 16min
Trust and Turmoil: The Impact of the 1873 Panic on Black Depositors
21:08 • 2min
The Collapse of Freedman's Bank
22:45 • 13min
Exploring Future Projects: Inequality and Personal Finance History
35:17 • 2min