The Freedman's Bank 3.8

WASHINGTON -- The Treasury Department announced Tuesday that it is renaming a prominent federal building after a bank that concentrated on the economic development of newly freed slaves in the post-Civil War era.
During a ceremony on Jan. 7, the Treasury Department will rename the Treasury Annex -- which is located just across Pennsylvania Avenue from the main structure -- to the Freedman's Bank Building.

The Annex currently stands on the site of the original Freedman's Bank, which the government created to help newly freed slaves and African-American soldiers integrate into the nation's economy at the end of the Civil War.

“Naming the Freedman’s Bank Building recognizes an institution that symbolized a new future for African-Americans,” Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said in a press release. “The legacy of Freedman’s Bank also serves as a reminder that we must continue striving for greater financial inclusion for all Americans -- particularly those in underserved and minority communities -- so that they can share in the benefits of our growing economy.”

John Hope Bryant, the CEO of Operation HOPE, a nonprofit social investment banking organization, advocated for the Treasury Department to make the change.