The Whiteness of Wealth: How the Tax System Impoverishes Black Americans – And How We Can Fix It

"If you read Caste by Isabel Wilkerson or Maid by Stephanie Land, this is a book you won’t want to miss. It’s written by Dorothy A. Brown, a tax law professor at Emory University who deliberately started her research in the field because she thought it would be race-neutral. But years of studying the history of the U.S. tax code and comparing the tax records of wealthy public figures with those of poorer people, she was left with one inescapable conclusion. The tax code, she argues, has been designed to advantage those who are already privileged and to disadvantage those who are not: including Black people who are doing everything “right” – marrying, working and raising families. The information is infuriating, but it’s a surprisingly easy read. Readers can gain a sense of mastery over a subject area that, whether intentional or not, seems designed to make the average person feel confused and defeated."