Fifteen Million Negroes and Fifteen Billion Dollars

New York, N.Y.: William K. Bell Publications, 1956. Very good. 8 1/8" x 5 3/8". Bound, orange thin card wrappers. Pp. xi, 147. Very good: wrappers lightly worn with some dust soiling; faint evidence of water exposure to upper outer corner of around one third of the leaves. Inscribed by the author on the verso of the title page.

This is an energetic and informative work offering business advice and encouragement to African Americans. It was written by a Black New York businessman and author, William K. Bell, and inscribed by him as well.

The book conveyed various opportunities for financial success, while stressing that the onus of economic betterment was on the African American himself. The author wrote:

"Get it out of your head, Mr. Ne*ro, that your own people are going to spend their money with you because you are a Ne*ro. You must offer them for their money the same things and considerations that other people do. It has been found in a good many cases that the biggest enemy to Ne*ro business is the Ne*ro business man himself."

The text covered the role of the church and of fraternal organizations in Black commerce. It also provided guidance on leadership and "what it takes to build a business." There were statistics showing African American economic progress, advice and adages such as "don't let the customer get away" and "laziness is the enemy of human progress."

Reasonably well-represented in institutions, a fine advice book for aspiring African American business people inscribed by the author.