This is an upper level course designed to analyze the experiences that define the African American relationship to the American economy. The course begins with the slave trade and ends in the present. It explores and explains how African American economic development intimately intertwined with the movement for freedom. Students will learn how African Americans addressed issues around slavery, housing, banking, capitalism/socialism, underground economy, and gentrification. This course is chronological in nature with thematic elements. Lectures will provide brief histories and conceptual framework for readings. This background will help students understand and explore how black identity, culture, and politics interact with economy. However, the bulk of the course will operate as a seminar. By the end of the course, students will be able to summarize African American past experiences with capitalism and its relevance to contemporary economic issues affecting African American people today. (Same as AMS 518.) Prerequisite: Any American Studies or History Courses on American History.