Juneteenth Editor’s Note: A Time for Celebration and Acknowledgement

Juneteenth has become one of many opportunities to acknowledge the impact Black Americans have had on the world. But let’s not forget that it’s also an acknowledgment of the end of slavery in the United States.

Now that it’s a federal holiday, Juneteenth can be treated as both a celebration, as well as a time of reflection on the many hardships and challenges Black people have faced, including unjust police killings, harmful policies such as redlining, and financial disparities that contribute to the racial wealth gap.

In an effort to educate and support all investors, Morningstar has created a number of resources to further understand the challenges Black investors face.

For example, we’ve recently updated our piece that explores different facets of the racial wealth gap. You’ll find that the article highlights a variety of topics, such as the fact that the median Black household had an income of less than $50,000 in 2021 compared with nearly $78,000 in the median non-Hispanic white household.

While it’s important to point out problems, it’s also important to explore potential solutions. To do just that, we’ve published articles and hosted conversations with financial professionals on topics such as how to achieve Black generational wealth and why it’s important to be comfortable with having conversations about money. For savvy investors, we’ve even explained how to find funds that address systemic racism as a way to support racial justice.

Creating a more equitable society also involves fostering financial literacy in communities that have historically been excluded from the investment world. Veronica Peterson, a senior product engineer at Morningstar, sat down with two popular personal finance educators—Ashley Fox and Shareef “Ross Mac” McDonald—to talk about Black America, starting out on Wall Street, and creating intergenerational wealth. “We are five laps behind in this wealth race,” says McDonald.

We also write about an ETF that invests in mortgages from some of America’s poorest communities, with the intent of building homeownership and creating equity. It makes closing the white versus nonwhite wealth gap more feasible and creates wealth for borrowers.

These stories and conversations are just a few of the many resources we hope to publish going forward to continue to foster a more equitable world for all investors.