This paper examines the 2016 and 2024 net worth of the 2011 Root Magazine’s 100 most influential young Black Americans aged 25 to 45. In 2016, the net worth of 45 honorees was $3.288 billion. On September 1, 2024, that figure increased by $5.16 billion to $8.448 billion. The net worth of 31 male honorees in 2016 was $2.351 billion. In 2024, that figure for 33 of them increased to $6.589 billion. The net worth of 14 female honorees in 2016 was $937 million. In 2024, that figure for 15 of them increased to $1.859 billion. In 2016, 8 honorees had a net worth of $100 million or more (5 men and 3 women). In 2024, 12 honorees had a net worth of $100 million or more (7 men and 5 women). None of the honorees was a billionaire when they were selected for the 2011 Root 100. In 2024, three of them are billionaires: Shawn Carter (Jay-Z), $2.5 billion, Tyler Perry, $1.4 billion, and LeBron James, $1.2 billion. In 2016, Beyonce was worth $450 million. On September 1, 2024, her net worth increased to $760 million. Two important interrelated factors presented for this great achievement are a substantial increase in the Black American population, which stood at 50.1 million in 2022; and an increase in the higher education attainment of the Black population. Some interrelated implications presented for this great achievement are: an increase in charitable donations in the Black community, an increase in the number of college scholarships for young Black Americans, an increase in the political, economic, and social influence of Black Americans, and strong advocacy for Black Americans by honorees of the 2011 and other cohorts of the Root 100.
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