Austin, thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts.

I think it's much easier said than done to simply rebuild Black Wall Street or any community where Black people were self-sustaining and thriving.

Several factors have shaped the current situation. First, we need to recognize that places like Tulsa and Rosewood thrived because Black people had limited options. Racism, prejudice, and restrictive laws forced Black people to rely on one another for commerce and support. Even in those environments, there were few Black individuals with the capital and resources needed to sustain or grow these communities.

Additionally, we have to acknowledge that during that time, more Black people were married and had families, which tends to support better economic stability. The Black family structure has significantly deteriorated since the Civil Rights era—something that’s been more by design than by chance, and that’s a conversation in itself.

Desegregation also played a major role in reshaping the Black community. Many Black individuals who had achieved a degree of affluence chose to integrate into white communities. Then, the rise of corporate and government jobs further diminished the scale of Black entrepreneurship.

I could go on, but ultimately, while the idea of a Black Wall Street is ideal, it would require a collective effort, with everyone participating in business with Black communities. For now, I believe we should focus on divesting from companies that don’t respect or support us.

Let me know your thoughts on this.