This is a reproduction of the original artefact. Generally these books are created from careful scans of the original. This allows us to preserve the book accurately and present it in the way the author intended. Since the original versions are generally quite old, there may occasionally be certain imperfections within these reproductions. We're happy to make these classics available again for future generations to enjoy!

Ubiquitous illegal lotteries known as policy flourished in Chicago’s Black community during the overlapping waves of the Great Migration. Policy “queens” owned stakes in lucrative operations while women writers and clerks canvased the neighborhood, passed out winnings, and kept the books. Elizabeth Schroeder Schlabach examines the complexities of Black women’s work in policy gambling. Policy provided Black women with a livelihood for themselves and their families. At the same time, navigating gender expectations, aggressive policing, and other hazards of the infromal economy led them to refashion ideas about Black womanhood and respectability. Policy earnings also funded above-board enterprises ranging from neighborhood businesses to philanthropic institutions, and Schlabach delves into the various ways Black women straddled the illegal policy business and reputable community involvement. Vivid and revealing, Dream Books and Gamblers tells the stories of Black women in the underground economy and how they used their work to balance the demands of living and laboring in Black Chicago.

Gambling is risky business, especially for recreational gamers. All casino poker rooms are populated 24/7 by serious players capable of emptying the pockets of any less experienced guests. While predators and crooks are a minority, they are there; these types seek out the uninitiated and rarely fail to deplete their bankrolls. Even a few dealers are out to make an easy buck, but the house and fellow players tend to keep that minority in line. Still, the poker room is a better bet than the house games, at which even professionals become losers over the long haul. All the author learned over thirty years of visiting casinos a couple of times a week is told in The Gamblers.