Cook Center Affiliates Discuss Economic and Educational Barriers at Black Policy Conference

By: Rachel Ruff

On Saturday, February 22nd, the Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy hosted its second annual Black Policy Conference, Black Mobility: What Does It Mean to Shape Black Opportunity? Presented by the Committee for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Black Policy Student Association, and Policy in Living Color, the conference brought together experts, scholars, and policymakers to discuss the systemic barriers and potential solutions for advancing Black opportunity in the United States. 

Duke Sanford's Second Annual Black Policy Conference Official Flyer

Karen Williams Weaver, the former mayor of Flint, Michigan, delivered the keynote address, offering insights into the role of local governance in addressing ongoing crises, including the Flint water crisis. Among the panelists were several affiliates of the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity, including Founding Director Dr. William A. “Sandy” Darity Jr., Faculty Affiliate Dr. Fenaba R. Addo, and Affiliate Dr. Ronda Taylor Bullock.

The Economic Realities of the Racial Wealth Gap

Dr. Darity and Dr. Addo participated in the "Economics and Policy" panel alongside Rev. Dr. M. Keith Daniel and Jaylen Herbin. During the panel, Dr. Darity emphasized that the racial wealth gap is not simply the result of contemporary income disparities but is deeply rooted in historical policies that prevented Black Americans from accumulating and passing down wealth. 

He pointed to the discriminatory implementation of the GI Bill, which systematically excluded Black veterans from the benefits of homeownership and education that propelled white Americans into the middle class. Additionally, he highlighted how the government’s failure to fulfill its promise of ‘40 acres and a mule’ to freedmen after the Civil War stands in stark contrast to the land grants and housing subsidies extended to white Americans and immigrants under policies such as the Homestead Act. Dr. Darity stressed that addressing wealth inequality requires an understanding of how generational wealth accumulation was deliberately obstructed.

For Dr. Darity, the effects of these patterns are reflected in the staggering $1.15 million gap in median wealth between white and Black households. To close that gap would amount to a wealth transfer  of almost $16 trillion, something he and A. Kirsten Mullen addressed in From Here to Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the Twenty-First Century, as well as their recent edited volume, The Black Reparations Project: A Handbook for Racial Justice.

Dr. Addo added to the discussion by commenting that “If we focus on income, we do not get the full scope of family security and stability.” Similar to Darity, she outlined the historical injustice being perpetuated and how the fragility of Black households' economic status becomes evident when examining household wealth rather than income alone. Accordingly, she noted that focusing on disparities in homeownership and asset retention can provide answers to factors in the brevity of the racial wealth gap.

Darity, center, and Addo, far right, on Economic Panel at Duke Sanford's Second Annual Black Policy Conference

Even for those who have successfully purchased homes, factors such as property appreciation rates and predatory lending practices—including balloon payments and fine print clauses—have made it more difficult for Black families to retain and pass down their wealth through home equity.

Dr. Addo also described how, for some, education has been considered the great equalizer. However, the student loan crisis disproportionately affects Black borrowers. Canceling student debt, she said, would be a policy point that would reduce but not overall eliminate the racial wealth gap. 

Addo and Darity underscored the importance of government accountability in these economic disparities. Dr. Addo posed a critical question: “Who should we hold responsible?” Both scholars agreed that the federal government must be recognized as a key perpetrator of policies that systematically disadvantaged Black Americans, from discriminatory housing practices to inequitable funding in education and economic programs. 

Darity suggested that alternative congressional leadership structures could be explored to advance reparations and other wealth-building measures, given the limited political will under the current administration.

Education Policy and Black Student Engagement

Rhonda T. Bullock , Cook Center Affiliate and Lead Curator at we are

Dr. Rhonda Bullock participated in the "Education Policy" panel alongside Rhianna Seyster, Harold Jordan, and Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson. Bullock addressed the persistent engagement gap among Black students, arguing that current curricula fail to reflect their experiences and histories.

She described the disconnect between Black students and the education system as a phenomenon driven by their awareness that the curriculum was not designed for them. Her main message was that policymakers should be paying attention to the many ways power structures in education affect how Black children are perceived and treated. 

The rest of the panel conversation addressed integration, affirmative environments for Black children, and school-disciplinary policies. 

Dr. Bullock’s insights as the co-founder and Lead Curator of we are, which stands for working to extend anti-racist education, provided an important perspective to potential policy solutions to address racial disparities in education.

Looking Forward: Policy Interventions for Black Mobility

The discussions at the Black Policy Conference underscored the urgent need for comprehensive, systemic reforms to address racial economic and educational disparities. From discriminatory housing policies to student debt relief and reparations, the three Cook Center affiliates featured all stressed that piecemeal solutions and individual efforts are insufficient in tackling these deeply rooted issues. Instead, federal, state, and local governments must take active roles in designing and implementing policies that not only acknowledge historical injustices but also provide tangible reparative measures.

As conversations about Black mobility and opportunity continue, the insights from Drs. Darity, Addo, and Bullock serve as a crucial framework for policymakers and scholars working toward racial equity.