About Nina Banks
Nina Banks is an American economist who is an Associate Professor of Economics at Bucknell University and current president of the National Economic Association.
She is known for her research on the contributions of early women economists, particularly Sadie Alexander.
Where to find Nina Banks
Democracy, Race, and Justice: The Speeches and Writings of Sadie T. M. Alexander
The first book to bring together the key writings and speeches of civil rights activist Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander—the first Black American economist
“Sadie Alexander embodies the Black feminist saying, ‘the political is personal.’ Her speeches brilliantly intertwine economics and law and will empower the next generation scholars-activists fighting for social justice.”
—Rhonda Vonshay Sharpe, President, Women’s Institute for Science, Equity and Race
In 1921, Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander became the first Black American to earn a Ph.D. in economics. Denied employment in the field due to racial and gender discrimination, she went on to become a pioneering lawyer, using both legal advocacy and economic insight to fight for civil rights.
Although long overlooked in mainstream history, Alexander was a visionary thinker who understood the intersection of democracy, race, and economic justice. This volume — assembled and introduced by Nina Banks — revives Alexander’s economic philosophy through a curated collection of her most influential speeches and writings.
Banks’s commentary provides historical context and illuminates the ideologies that shaped Alexander’s activism. A bold intellectual ahead of her time, Alexander argued for redistributive policies that would secure racial equity while strengthening American democracy.