We have helped to build America with our labor, strengthened it with our faith, and enriched it with our song.

― Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune

The inescapable influence of unpaid Black labor in the creation of America’s economic wealth is a fact that cannot be overstated. The foundation of this prosperity was laid by the working and royal hands of Black folks forcibly brought to America as early as 1619. They endured the unimaginable trauma of being torn from their families, trades, skills, land, crops, and everything they had built with their own hands before their enslavement. They were forced to till the land and transform their very bodies into human currency to fuel the wealth of enslavers but never partake in it. This systemic exploitation is a profound injustice that continues to echo throughout this nation in plain sight, demanding recognition and much-deserved reparations.

How much wealth did enslavers gain from the oppression, subjugation, and unpaid labor of enslaved Black people? According to David Blight, professor of history at Yale University, in The Civil War and Reconstruction Era Lecture Series,

By 1860, there were approximately 4 million slaves in the United States. American slaves, as a financial asset, were worth approximately 3.5 billion. In today’s dollars that would be approximately 75 billion dollars. In 1860, slaves as an asset were worth more than all of America’s manufacturing, all of the railroads, and all of the productive capacity of the United States put together. Slaves were the single largest financial asset of property in the entire U.S. economy.

These staggering figures reveal a profound truth. Unpaid Black labor built the foundation of America and fueled its economic growth. This 3.5 billion in generational wealth was acquired by enslavers who never toiled a single day in the fields. Imagine enduring grueling work from dawn until dusk, only for someone else to reap the rewards of your labor. Let’s be clear: only the labor was valued; the humanity of the people was overlooked. This harsh truth forces us to acknowledge the injustices that have shaped our nation’s history.

The history of unpaid Black labor has shaped nearly every major industry in America. In agriculture, their expertise significantly influenced the harvests of crops like cotton, rice, tobacco, and sugar during the 17th and 18th centuries. Men, women, and children, pushed by the whip, produced cotton, rice, sugar, and tobacco valued at well over half of the gross national product (NMAAHC, 2023). The preparation of meals in plantation households depended entirely on the unpaid labor of Black individuals. Those responsible for tending the crops and preparing food for enslavers and their families were often denied access to the very sustenance they cultivated, frequently surviving only on scraps or leftovers. The legacy of Black labor is a significant part of our agricultural history. Today, fewer than 1% of farmers in the United States are Black.

The skilled hands of enslaved Black folks were instrumental in the creation of many iconic buildings, monuments, and universities across the United States. One prominent structure built with their unpaid labor is The White House, which serves as a symbol of power and governance. Historical records reveal that enslaved and free people of color were not just involved but essential at every stage of its construction from 1792 to 1800. The White House—a magnificent edifice that stands as a testament to architectural achievement—was built by the very hands of those who were denied their freedom, situated in the land of the free. This creates an unsettling contrast, highlighting the complexities and contradictions of American history.

Other significant structures constructed by the hands of Black folks include the U.S. Capitol, Wall Street, Fort Sumter, Harvard Law School, Georgetown University, and many others. The unpaid labor of enslaved Black people was also instrumental in the construction of the residences of several former U.S. Presidents, including Montpelier in Virginia, the home of James Madison; Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington; and Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson.

In 2015, I had the opportunity to visit Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States. I was impressed by the craftsmanship and intricate details within the home. The skill and ingenuity of Black people were evident throughout the mansion. It was a stark contrast to what Jefferson stated about Black people in his Notes on the State of Virginia in which he stated that they were inferior. On the contrary, I don’t know anyone who would allow someone to build their home if they thought they were inferior. Historically, the skills, abilities, and intellect of Black people were undervalued by those who enslaved them. However, they were relied upon to perform unpaid labor such as working in the fields, preparing meals, constructing buildings, and caring for children, all of which required specific skills and expertise. People of African descent also contributed significantly to the construction of railroads, bridges, roads, and various other infrastructures.

Reflecting on our shared history, Black people are the unrecognized architects of America. Their significant contributions to the country’s economy through forced and unpaid labor should be acknowledged by individuals of all cultures and backgrounds. The ongoing calls for reparations are both justified and long overdue. We hold these historical truths to be self-evident that America was built by the hands of Black folks.