In this urgent and illuminating livestream from The Erudition Network, Public Historian and CEO Eddie K. Phillips delves into the historic and deliberate mechanisms that engineered Black poverty in America. Through powerful storytelling and archival insight, Eddie maps how racist policies, from redlining and exclusionary housing practices to inequities in public benefits, were not accidental but intentional strategies to suppress Black wealth for generations.

This episode connects the roots of intergenerational injustice with modern-day disparities, illustrating how legal and political structures have systematically denied Black communities access to assets and opportunities. Featuring a Q&A with the historian and interactive discussions, the session offers historical analysis alongside strategies for reclaiming agency and building economic justice.

💡 Core Topics Covered:

• How U.S. housing, lending, and segregation laws intentionally withheld generational wealth
• The legacy of redlining, loan denial, and racial covenants in perpetuating poverty
• Archival case studies and public history reflections by Eddie K. Phillips
• Connections between historical oppression and today’s racial wealth gap
• Audience interaction highlighting community-led resistance and redress