Research Catalog

Details

Additional authors

1. Browne, Robert S.

Description

1. 19 lin. ft.

Summary

1. The Black Economic Research Center Records document BERC's activities as well as the involvement of Robert Browne in numerous organizations. Although the primary function of BERC was to conduct economic research to aid black organizations and individuals, research data, notes and memoranda concerning studies BERC conducted were not included in the collection; therefore the records are stronger in its administrative functions than in its programmatic aspects.
2. The collection is divided into five series: Board of Directors, Administration, Chronological File, Writings and General File. The Board of Directors series consists of minutes of meetings and correspondence referring to day-to-day activities of the research center. The Administrative series includes information about the founding of BERC as well as its closing, contracts, memoranda, financial records and staff information.
3. The Chronological File series consists primarily of outgoing letters written by Browne in his official capacity as executive director of BERC as well as letters generated as a result of Browne's prominence as a black economist, inviting him to speak at conferences and to participate as a board member for a variety of organizations.
4. The Writings series consists of the subseries Papers and Studies, containing manuscripts and printed versions of articles written by BERC staff members. Represented among the economists who authored a number of articles are Robert Browne, Julian Ellison, Jr., Norman Girvan, and Daniel Mitchell. The subseries "The Review of Black Political Economy" contains correspondence primarily between Browne as editor of the journal with the publisher and subscribers.
5. The most extensive series in the collection is the General File which includes files primarily on organizations with a black economic or black empowerment focus. The wide range of issues represented in the collection on which BERC provided assistance encompass preservation of black owned land in the South, loan of funds to black communities, black businesses, and promotion of economic activities in Africa. The types of organizational material incorporated in these files include memoranda, minutes, proposals, notes, press releases, and other material dealing with conferences and programs sponsored by the organizations. Within the General File series there are also subject files and files related to individual black economists and to geographic areas, such as the South and Africa. Numerous research studies can also be found in these files.

Donor/Sponsor

1. Schomburg NEH Archival Resources for the Study of the Post-Civil Rights Movements Project.

Subject

1. African Americans > Employment
2. African Americans > Economic conditions > Research
3. United States > Politics and government > 1945-
4. Land use, Rural > Southern States
5. African Americans > Education
6. African Americans > Societies, etc
7. African Americans banks
8. Southern States > Economic conditions > 1945-
9. Housing > United States
10. African Americans > Land tenure
11. United States > Social conditions > 1960-1980
12. Economic projects > Africa
13. United States > Economic conditions > 1945-
14. Black Economic Research Center
15. African Americans > Politics and government
16. Land tenure > Southern States
17. African Americans > Housing
18. African Americans and mass media
19. Minority business enterprises > United States
20. Africa > Economic conditions
21. African Americans > Religion

Call number

1. Sc MG 284

Note

1. Photographs transferred to Photographs and Prints Division.

Source (note)

1. Browne, Robert S.

Biography (note)

1. The Black Economic Research Center (BERC) was founded and directed by economist Robert S. Browne in 1969 as a black controlled non-profit organization to compile data which would provide a better understanding of the economic dynamics of black America, originate alternate strategies which might be effective in improving economic conditions of African-Americans, and provide technical assistance to community, private and governmental agencies interested in black economic development.
2. To conduct the needed research on the black community, BERC employed a team of economists who studied the economic status of African Americans, and developed alternative strategies to improve economic conditions in the jobs, business and industrial sectors. Findings were published in BERC's Occasional Papers series and "The Review of Black Political Economy," a journal also published by BERC.
3. One of BERC's major programs was its work on black land ownership in the south. Land ownership was considered one of the linchpins of black economic self-sufficiency, by providing technical and other assistance, Browne believed BERC could help landowners retain their land. Other major areas of research interest among BERC staff included employment, minority business, banking, education, politics, government, housing, technology, media and churches. BERC also provided technical assistance to community, private, and governmental agencies interested in black economic development.
4. BERC's principal funder was the Ford Foundation; the final grant allowed BERC to function until 1977-1978. Operations ceased totally in 1980.

Indexes/finding aids (note)

1. Finding aid available.

Processing action (note)

1. Processed
2. Catalogued
3. Cataloging updated

Author

1. Black Economic Research Center.

Title

1. Black Economic Research Center records, 1969-1982.

Biography

1. The Black Economic Research Center (BERC) was founded and directed by economist Robert S. Browne in 1969 as a black controlled non-profit organization to compile data which would provide a better understanding of the economic dynamics of black America, originate alternate strategies which might be effective in improving economic conditions of African-Americans, and provide technical assistance to community, private and governmental agencies interested in black economic development. Browne had sought to create such an organization because of the lack of sufficient data and analysis on economic issues relating to the black community.
2. To conduct the needed research on the black community, BERC employed a team of economists who studied the economic status of African Americans, and developed alternative strategies to improve economic conditions in the jobs, business and industrial sectors. Findings were published in BERC's Occasional Papers series and "The Review of Black Political Economy," a journal also published by BERC.
3. One of BERC's major programs was its work on black land ownership in the south. Land ownership was considered one of the linchpins of black economic self-sufficiency, by providing technical and other assistance, Browne believed BERC could help landowners retain their land. Other major areas of research interest among BERC staff included employment, minority business, banking, education, politics, government, housing, technology, media and churches. BERC also provided technical assistance to community, private, and governmental agencies interested in black economic development.
4. BERC's principal funder was the Ford Foundation; the final grant allowed BERC to function until 1977-1978. Operations ceased totally in 1980.

Indexes

1. Finding aid available.

Connect to:

1. Finding Aid

Added author

1. Browne, Robert S.

Research call number

1. Sc MG 284