Fifteen Cents on the Dollar

How Americans Made the Black-White Wealth Gap

By: Louise Story, Ebony Reed

Narrated by: Tovah Ott

A sweeping, narrative history of Black wealth and the economic discrimination embedded in America’s financial system.

The early 2020s will long be known as a period of racial reflection. In the wake of the police killing of George Floyd, Americans of all backgrounds joined together in historic demonstrations in the streets, discussions in the workplace, and conversations at home about the financial gaps that remain between white and Black Americans. This deeply investigated book shows the scores of setbacks that have held the Black-white wealth gap in place—from enslavement to redlining to banking discrimination—and, ultimately, the reversals that occurred in the mid-2020s as the push for racial equity became a polarized political debate.

Fifteen Cents on the Dollar follows the lives of four Black Millennial professionals and a banking company founded with the stated mission of closing the Black-white wealth gap. That company, known as Greenwood, a reference to the historic Black Wall Street district in Tulsa, Oklahoma, generated immense excitement and hope among people looking for new ways of business that might lead to greater equity. But the twists and turns of Greenwood’s journey also raise tough questions about what equality really means.

Seasoned journalist-academics Louise Story and Ebony Reed present a nuanced portrait of Greenwood’s founders—the entertainment executive Ryan Glover; the Grammy-winning rapper Michael Render, better known as Killer Mike; and the Civil Rights leader and two-term Atlanta mayor, Andrew Young—along with new revelations about their lives, careers, and families going back to the Civil War. Equally engaging are the stories of the lesser-known individuals—a female tech employee from rural North Carolina trying to make it in a big city; a rising leader at the NAACP whose father is in prison; an owner of a BBQ stand in Atlanta fighting to keep his home; and a Black man in a biracial marriage grappling with his roots when his father is shot by the police.

In chronicling these staggering injustices, Fifteen Cents on the Dollar shows why so little progress has been made on the wealth gap and provides insights Americans should consider if they want lasting change.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2024 Ebony Reed and Louise Story (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

Very informative

I learned so much. Great story telling and very informative. Will Highly recommend this to my peers.

A Masterclass in Storytelling: The Rich, Personal Histories in “15 Cents on the Dollar”

"15 Cents on the Dollar: The History of the Black-White Wealth Gap" masterfully intertwines the gripping modern-day stories of figures like Killer Mike and James Lovelace with a comprehensive history of America's racial wealth divide. The narrative flows with the engaging pace of a novel, yet it retains its firm grounding in historical authenticity. Through the use of direct quotes and vivid storytelling, the authors bring an intimate, personal touch to the narrative, making the reader feel a part of the unfolding history.

Each character's family history is meticulously detailed, revealing aspects that even the individuals themselves were previously unaware of. These richly drawn family backstories are skillfully woven into the broader narrative, underscoring how deeply personal histories intersect with the overarching themes of the racial wealth gap. This integration not only enriches the narrative but also highlights the profound personal impact of historical economic policies and social structures.

The vividness of the book's writing transforms cold, hard facts into a living, breathing story. It’s as if the reader is alongside the authors in on-the-ground reporting, turning the quest to trace James Lovelace's experiences into something as thrilling as a mystery novel. The book includes enlightening insights into lesser-known historical facts, such as the involvement of some Native American tribes in chattel slavery, and the complicated legacies of these practices that affected their descendants.

Listening to the audiobook version enhances the experience significantly, thanks in large part to the narration by Tovah Ott. Her delivery adds a profound layer of meaning and significance, effectively bringing the book's characters to life. Ott's skillful rendition of the characters' quotes makes them resonate as if they were speaking directly to the listener, bridging the gap between a printed text and a vivid documentary. This auditory dimension turns the historical account into a more dynamic and immersive exploration of the themes discussed.

This book does more than just recount history; it makes history come alive, educating while engaging its audience in a deeply human story.

A Wonderful History of Money in America

I love this book. This is a thorough history of how money built American and how Black Americans faced so many barriers to accumulating wealth. The personal stories that are woven into the history make this an easy listen. This book should be required reading for every history course. There is so much in this book that I did not know.

The history of Atlanta, segregation in real estate

The supreme court is undoing many of the protections put in place to help bridge the wealth gap. Knowing our history makes their reversals even more upsetting. Understanding our country’s history can help us not to turn back.