The Black Boom

Economic inequality continues to be one of the most hotly debated topics in America, but there has been relatively little discussion of the fact that black-white gaps in joblessness, income, poverty, and other measures were shrinking prior to the pandemic.

Why was it happening, and why did this phenomenon go unacknowledged by so much of the media?

In The Black Boom, Jason L. Riley—acclaimed Wall Street Journal columnist and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute—digs into the data and concludes that the economic lives of black people improved significantly under policies put into place during the Trump administration. To acknowledge as much is not to endorse the 45th president but rather to champion policies that achieve a clear moral objective shared by most Americans.

"I don't know what I liked more about The Black Boom: Jason Riley's persuasive, provocative, and counterintuitive analysis of how racial inequality decreased during Donald Trump's divisive presidency or the fact that the volume includes powerful critiques of Riley by Juan Williams and Wilfred Reilly. What I do know for sure is that this volume is a model for serious policy discussions in a country filled with shallow partisans more interested in talking past one another rather than fixing real problems."

—Nick Gillespie, editor at large, Reason

“Jason Riley’s commitment to facts, impartial analysis of the data, and dedication toprincipled public policy has made him one of America’s foremost thought leaders. Each of these traits is on full display in The Black Boom, in which he argues that minorities enjoyed real economic progress during the Trump administration. His case is nonpartisan, sharply reasoned, and deserving of serious attention.  I highly recommend it and hope that it inspires productive dialogue that moves us beyond our divisiveness.” 

—Dr. Arthur B. Laffer, economist and Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient

"This important and explosive little book provides stimulation and provocation on every page, demolishing conventional wisdom about Black progress in the process. Riley insists recent history demonstrates that Black families have benefited far more from the opportunities provided by free-market economics than from government programs and the over-valued acquisition of political power. He writes with a combination of grace and force that may change some minds while opening many more."

—Michael Medved, nationally syndicated radio host and author of God’s Hand on America

Jason Riley is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a columnist for the Wall Street Journal, and a commentator for Fox News. His next much-anticipated book, Maverick: A Biography of Thomas Sowell, will be available in May 2021. He is a recipient of the 2018 Bradley Prize. After joining the Journal in 1994, he was named a senior editorial writer in 2000 and a member of the editorial board in 2005. Riley writes opinion pieces on politics, economics, education, immigration, and race. He also speaks frequently on ABC, NBC, CNN, PBS, and NPR.

Riley is the author of several other books, including Let Them In: The Case for Open Borders (2008), which argues for a more free-market-oriented U.S. immigration policy;  Please Stop Helping Us: How Liberals Make It Harder for Blacks to Succeed (2014), which discusses the track record of government efforts to help the black underclass; and False Black Power? (2017), an assessment of why black political success has not translated into more economic success. He has also worked for USA Today and the Buffalo News. Riley holds a B.A. in English from SUNY-Buffalo.​