Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) asked seven of the nation’s leading bankers on Wednesday to confirm their race: “As I look at the panel, and I’m grateful for your attendance, the–the eye would perceive that the seven of you have something in common. You appear to be white men. I may be mistaken,” Green said at a hearing of the House Financial Services Committee.
“If one among you happens to be something other than a white male, would you kindly extend a hand into the air? Kindly let the record reflect that there are no hands in the air and that the panel is made up of white men,” Green continued.
“This is not a pejorative,” Green said. “You’ve all sermonized to a certain extent about diversity. If you believe that your likely successor will be a woman or a person of color, would you kindly extend a hand into the air?” [No hands raised.]
Then Green told the bank executives, “For fear that you may not hear me, just raise your hand now so that I’ll know you’re there. Raise your hand, please. All of you. Sir, apparently you don’t hear me over on the end. Would you kindly extend a hand into the air if you can hear me?”
Green prodded all of them to raise their hands, which the bankers did — reluctantly.
Green continued: I know it’s difficult to go on the record sometimes, but the record has to be made. All white men, and none of you, not one, appears to believe that your successor will be a female or a person of color.
Is it your bank likely to have a female or person of color within the next decade? Kindly extend a hand into the air — two, three, four, five. All right, five. Without giving the commentary that I would dearly like to give, I’ll move on.
You know, I’m sitting next to a reverend, and I’ve heard him say that he’d rather see a sermon then hear a sermon. Let us have an opportunity to see a sermon when you return.
Next question has to do with something near and dear to my heart. My ancestors were slaves. In 2005, is it true that J.P. Morgan released information directly indicating that it directly benefited from slavery? Would the representative from J.P. Morgan respond?