Filed under: Celebrity News, Personal Finance, Dr. Boyce Money, The Economy
AOL Black Voices had the chance to catch up with Dr. Malveaux to discuss the release of her new book, "Surviving and Thriving: 365 Facts in Black Economic History," and she had this to say:
1) What is your name and what do you do?
I am Dr. Julianne Malveaux, an economist, author and President of Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, North Carolina.
2) What motivated you to write your book, and what can people learn from it?
When people think of the economy, they rarely think of African American people as important contributors, as thivers instead of simply survivors. There is such inspiration in our economic history and I was passionate about lifting it up.
3) What are your thoughts about the economic inequality issue in America? Do you feel that we've worked hard enough to address it as a society?
Economic inequality is one of our nation's persistent problems, and the foundation for a series of other social, economic and political challenges. Our nation has never sufficiently addressed economic inequality; nor has the civil rights movement.
4) What are some solutions to the economic inequality problem?
The only way to close the racial economic gap is through exogenous infusions of capital into the African American community. We have 60 percent of the income of whites, but less than ten percent of the wealth.
5) You are unique to be a black woman with a PhD in Economics from MIT. What are some specific challenges and opportunities you've experienced as a black female scholar and public figure?
Patriarchy is alive and well in the African American community, and male voices are often and unfortunately more valued than female voices. I have found that to be extremely challenging. The intersection of race and gender has an interesting and often deleterious impact on the set of opportunities that are available to African American women. I was once told in my life as a pundit that I should "dumb down" in debates so that I might have more opportunities to mix it up with white men. Imagine that!
6) What do you deem to be the role of the black scholar in America?
WEB DuBois should be the role model for African American scholars in our nation. He was a scholar par excellence, but he was also involved in the civil rights movement, a popular writer as well as a scholarly one. He was an advocate. In the 21st century, African American scholars must be advocates as well as excellent scholars. We must use our scholarship both to inform and to uplift our people.
7) Is there anything else you'd like to share with the AOL Black Voices audience?
I am honored to have this opportunity to share ideas with the AOL Black Voices audience. I hope that they will purchase Surviving and Thriving, a book that I published through my multi-media company, Last Word Productions Inc., because majority publishing houses were not interested in black economic history. The book is available at www.lastwordprod.com and if your readers mention you, I'll throw in free shipping until December 15.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.