Among the major professions, certified public accountancy has the most severe underrepresentation of African Americans: less than 1 percent of CPAs are black. Theresa Hammond explores the history behind this statistic and chronicles the courage and determination of African Americans who sought to enter the field. In the process, she expands our understanding of the links between race, education, and economics. Drawing on interviews with pioneering black CPAs, among other sources, Hammond sets the stories of black CPAs against the backdrop of the rise of accountancy as a profession, the particular challenges that African Americans trying to enter the field faced, and the strategies that enabled some blacks to become CPAs. Prior to the 1960s, few white-owned accounting firms employed African Americans. Only through nationwide networks established by the first black CPAs did more African Americans gain the requisite professional experience. The civil rights era saw some progress in integrating the field, and black colleges responded by expanding their programs in business and accounting. In the 1980s, however, the backlash against affirmative action heralded the decline of African American participation in accountancy and paved the way for the astonishing lack of diversity that characterizes the field today.

Are you exploring careers in accounting and finance? In this refreshingly heartfelt collection, Dear Accountant shares the career journeys and wisdom of 20 leaders in the fields of accounting and finance. Read about: Tom Golden, the former PwC partner who, despite beginning an accounting career after being in sales for 10 years and failing the auditing exam, rose to become one of the most successful forensic accountants in the country. Isabel Mercedes Cumming, the Inspector General of Baltimore City, who saved the students of James Madison University a quarter of a million dollars as a member of student government during her freshman year there. Andrew Ly, the CEO of Sugar Bowl Bakery, who fled a war-torn country with only $1 in his pocket and went on to build a family empire with his 4 brothers. From senior partners at the Big 4 to executive recruiters and entrepreneurs, these industry-leading mentors openly share their individual career paths, their struggles, and the lessons they learned along the way. Dear Accountant provides a unique immersion into the lives and careers of these inspiring leaders, empowering you to blaze your own trail as you explore the thrilling, wonderful kaleidoscope of the accounting and finance professions.

Issues for 1919- include the proceedings of the Institute's annual meeting.