NAACP Launches Groundbreaking Initiative To Close The Racial Wealth Gap And Build Generational Wealth For Black Families
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 3, 2026
Contact: Chyna Fields, cfields@naacpnet.org
WASHINGTON — Today, the NAACP announced the launch of a national campaign, the Roadmap to Generational Wealth, an initiative dedicated to dismantling the systemic barriers that fuel the widening racial wealth gap in America. This comprehensive program delivers a roadmap designed to equip the Black community with the tools, resources, and support necessary to build and sustain generational wealth.
The roots of the racial wealth gap have come from centuries of institutionalized racism, policy-driven discrimination, and systemic inequities that have deliberately excluded Black Americans from asset accumulation. The NAACP's new initiative emphasizes that Black Americans must be empowered to benefit from the U.S. economy, not merely as workers and consumers, but as owners, investors, and primary drivers of their own economic progress to advance civil rights.
"This administration has defunded and dismantled policies and economic safeguards for Black people to gain and maintain generational wealth in this country," said Derrick Johnson, NAACP President and CEO. "We must fight to restore and expand the pathways that allow Black families to build, protect, and pass down that wealth."
The Roadmap to Generational Wealth delivers a multi-layered framework:
- Financial Education and Literacy
- Savings
- Credit
- Post-Secondary Education
- Employment and Career Advancement
- Investments
- Homeownership
- Estate Planning
- Retirement Plans
"We fight for the rights of Black and Brown people to have strict policies put into place for the security of generational wealth," said Keisha Bross, Director, NAACP Center for Opportunity, Race and Justice. "This means the creation, protection, and implementation of policy and legislation that drives opportunity. We will provide families with insight and plans to build generational wealth for years to come."
The launch of this initiative marks a pivotal point in the fight for civil rights and economic justice, on the heels of our recent leadership in the 2026 March on Washington. The NAACP is continuing the impact by laying the groundwork for a future where Black wealth is protected and passed down through generations. To learn more about the Roadmap to Generational Wealth campaign and how to access these resources, visit naacp.org.
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About NAACP
The NAACP advocates, agitates, and litigates for the civil rights due to Black America. Our legacy is built on the foundation of grassroots activism by the biggest civil rights pioneers of the 20th century and is sustained by 21st century activists. From classrooms and courtrooms to city halls and Congress, our network of members across the country works to secure the social and political power that will end race-based discrimination. That work is rooted in racial equity, civic engagement, and supportive policies and institutions for all marginalized people. We are committed to a world without racism where Black people enjoy equitable opportunities in thriving communities.
NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund – also referred to as the NAACP-LDF – was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but now operates as a completely separate entity.