Content area
Full Text
The History of Black Business in America: Capitalism, Race, Entrepreneurship. By Juliet E. K. Walker. New York: Twayne, 1998. 482p. acid free, $45 (ISBN 0-8057-1650-5).
Most African American history reference sources focus on political, social, and cultural history. However, a complete account of black business and entrepreneurship, throughout American history is sorely lacking. The History of Black Business in America marks a decisive step toward closing this gap.
In precise, thorough detail, Walker maps out the steady progress of African American business history from its roots in precolonial Africa through slavery, Reconstruction, the Great Depression, and civil rights, to the present dichotomy of African American business attaining new heights while losing gains in legal and financial government support. The first eight chapters chronicle black business from its beginnings in Africa to 1950s America. The final three chapters cover contemporary black business history from the post-WWII period to the present. Each chapter is broken down into nonnumbered subject sections. For reference purposes, it would be helpful if the next edition of this work included these section headings in the table of contents.
The multitude of subjects covered includes specific trades,...