Richard Bates

African-American Economic Development Richard Bates

Added Information: 12/15/18The information presented in this research demonstrates that Englewood like too many similar African-American communities in America, has lost its ability to be economically, politically, and otherwise self-sufficient/autonomous over the years as their neighborhoods have economically deteriorated. This was due to a serious demise of businesses, middle/upper class residents, crime, gangs, drugs, poor policing, poor educational institutions, and a server loss of population in general. All of these factors have contributed to an extensive loss of revenue in these areas. This has resulted in the residents in neighborhoods similar to Englewood becoming passive participants in the essential functions of the space/location they live in. Consequently, they usually have little if any authentic or substantive control/participation within the major spheres of influence and power in this these areas. Important decisions are mainly controlled by outsiders who rarely act in the residents true economic-political-social interest. This research suggests that this situation can possibly be resolved over a period of time by implementing various proposals and models for economic, political empowerment/sustainability presented in this writing that have been successful or had some significant measure of achievement such as the Mondragon Corporation's Workers Cooperative of Basque Spain, the Black owned First Independence Bank in Detroit, Michigan, or the various Black Cooperative current day and from the past that are detailed in such literature as Collective Courage A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice by Jessica Gordon Nembhard, which were promoted by the renowned African-American scholar Dr. W. E. B. DuBois. Although this information is primarily focused on Englewood the suggestions put forth should be useful for other Black or non-Black communities confronted with similar circumstances. Also other crucial themes directly and indirectly related to the issues that I have researched in this book are discussed.