The commodification of Black bodies was not a tragic footnote in the rise of the U.S. economy. It was the blueprint.

Contrary to what is being taught in schools, our story did not start or stop in the fields. After emancipation, Black people became what they always were: master builders. We wasted no time building businesses, buying land, founding towns, and forming banks.

What Is Group Economics? Group economics is the practice of a community intentionally circulating its money within its own networks—buying from, hiring, and investing in each other to build long-term wealth and self-sufficiency. It’s not just a business strategy; it’s a survival tactic. A liberation model. A way to ensure that the community—not outside forces—controls its financial destiny. We’ve seen group economics work before, and not just in theory. Black communities acro