The Origin, Birth, and Adolescence of the Review of Black Political Economy and the Black Economic Research Center

Abstract

The Review of Black Political Economy (RBPE) and the Black Economic Research Center (BERC) arose from the atmosphere of the late sixties, when black nationalism was at its apex and vigorous efforts were under way to give meaning to the concepts of “black economic development” and “black capitalism.” They were created as vehicles to assist black economists and economic activists to analyze and disseminate relevant data on black economic affairs and to explore and facilitate new approaches to black economic problems. RBPE offered black economists a place where they could publish their work and share it with their colleagues. The flavor of RBPE has changed somewhat over its twenty-three year life, becoming less polemical and more scholarly.