#3 - The Chicago Housing Scam: Seriously?

In the city famous for segregation and corruption, we’ll see how many hoops Black people had to jump through, just to get a place to live. This scam would make Al Capone blush: crooked banks, politicians and realtors conspired to rob Black Chicagoans of more than 4 billion dollars! Special guest: Amber Hendley, housing activist and reparations warrior.



SHOW NOTES

Guest: Amber Hendley 

Amber is a dynamic force in the national reparations movement. She directs the African American Leadership and Policy Institute, and works to promote Black homeownership. She co-authored The Plunder of Black Wealth in Chicago,  an expose of the billions stolen from Black homebuyers under the “contract” system.

Highlights of episode:

[0:36] Tony & Adam on the wealth gap and why it’s been so hard for Black people to buy a house

[8:31] Amber on the Chicago housing scam 

[15:01] Amber on how much money was stolen from Black Chicagoans

[22:51] Amber’s on what we need for housing reparations

[29:38] Tony & Adam’s ideas on reparations for this scam

More on the Chicago scam:

• “The Case For Reparations”  by Ta-Nehesi Coates. This article was a game-changer. Exhibit A of his “case” is the Chicago scam and its devastating effects on the Black community.
• “In My Father’s House” - This 1972 piece lays out the whole story of the Chicago scam while it was still happening, with personal details.
• Family Properties by Beryl Satter. A detailed account of the Chicago contract buying system and the Contract Buyers League, who fought back and eventually forced the system to change.

For the full story on redlining and America’s history of government-led segregation, see Richard Rothstein’s explosive book, The Color Of Law.

Contact Tony and Adam

Transcript of this episode

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