Chapter 8 examines in detail the Love Jones Cohort’s attitudes to wealth accumulation and homebuying, as well as highlights that those in the Cohort operate in an environment of considerable structural racism when it comes to acquiring assets. Chapter 8 further addresses persistent myths surrounding racial wealth inequality, including conventional ideas that promote greater educational attainment, harder work, better financial decisions, and other changes in habits and practices on the part of Black Americans. In Chapter 8, the Love Jones Cohort are cognizant of how their SALA status, in conjunction with family background, gender, age, a desire (or otherwise) for marriage, and responsibility to both family (friends) and the larger Black community, can shape thinking about potential wealth-building opportunities. It is also clear that when it comes to wealth accumulation, while the freedom that comes with SALA status can be an advantage in some cases, buying a home on a single income can impose a significant structural economic obstacle.

This chapter reflects on the future of middle-class AAE and recommends future directions for sociolinguistic research on this topic, both in light of the findings presented in the book, and in the context of the current social, racial, economic, and political climate in the United States.