Meet Don Hayner, author of Binga: The Rise and Fall of Chicago’s First Black Banker.

February 29, 2020 from 1–2:30 p.m.

IIT Tower Auditorium

Binga is the definitive full-length biography of Jesse Binga, the first black banker in Chicago. Born into a large family in Detroit, Binga arrived in Chicago in 1892 in his late twenties with virtually nothing. Through his wits and resourcefulness, he rose to wealth and influence as a real estate broker, and in 1908 he founded the Binga Bank (35th and State Street, the current location of IIT Tower), the first black-owned bank in the city. But his achievements were followed by an equally notable downfall. The book recounts this gripping story about race, history, politics, and finance.

Books will be available for purchase at the reduced price of $20. Register here.