The Black Elite

[NinjaPoodle]

From the NPHC yahoo group

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For your reading pleasure -- the Chicago sun-times is doing a series on the black middle class. As wecontinue to debate issues of race, it is vital we also talk about issues of CLASS... the gap between the have and have nots maybe growing but more importantly to us -- and our children's future is the fact thegap between the have and have nots in the black community is growing faster than the gap between blacks and whites...

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/...bmcgent14.html



Alturo Rhymes
Producer
CBS News/NewsPath

[PGPeripheryGirl]

Originally posted by SummerChild
Southernelle,

There is a bit of a conundrum with your statement re dates for nouveau riche and old money. Um, prior to the late 1800s, most AAs were in a bit of a jam with that whole slavery thing, if you know what I mean. Therefore, how many AAs would fit into the old money category if you had to be rich (and be AFRICAN-AMERICAN) **before** the late **1800s**?

Too funny. But really, if I was a white person who could trace my roots back to Europe a few centuries back, I would laugh hysterically at the idea of America's black elite. Afterall, the forefathers of the black elite once served at the feet of a white man. I'd have more respect for African elite because at least they'd have more history.

[BLUTANG]

a similar article from the Washington Post, discussing DC area AfAms, class, and crime.

Originally posted by NinjaPoodle
From the NPHC yahoo group

******************************

For your reading pleasure -- the Chicago sun-times is doing a series on the black middle class. As wecontinue to debate issues of race, it is vital we also talk about issues of CLASS... the gap between the have and have nots maybe growing but more importantly to us -- and our children's future is the fact thegap between the have and have nots in the black community is growing faster than the gap between blacks and whites...

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/...bmcgent14.html



Alturo Rhymes
Producer
CBS News/NewsPath

[PGPeripheryGirl]

edited due to error

[Exquisite5]

Originally posted by BLUTANG
a similar article from the Washington Post, discussing DC area AfAms, class, and crime.

The situation out here is really sad to me. I really want to raise my (future) children in a neighborhood full of Af Am professionals, but I want them to be safe. I don't know where I can find that mix in the DC area. I though Mitchelville was it (although it would take me FOREVER to get to work) but this article makes me think I can't find it anywhere.

I know the Gold and Platinum coasts are still options, but I don't feel like the homes in those areas are being kept as nicely as they should be.

The situation is sad.

[alum]

Originally posted by Exquisite5
The situation out here is really sad to me. I really want to raise my (future) children in a neighborhood full of Af Am professionals, but I want them to be safe. I don't know where I can find that mix in the DC area. I though Mitchelville was it (although it would take me FOREVER to get to work) but this article makes me think I can't find it anywhere.

I know the Gold and Platinum coasts are still options, but I don't feel like the homes in those areas are being kept as nicely as they should be.

The situation is sad.

Have you looked in VA? We have tons of multiethnic nice, safe neighborhoods with excellent schools. Both Colin and Condi live on our side of the Potomac.

[Exquisite5]

Actually alum, my hubby and I just opened our search to VA, but all we have found so far are areas with very little diversity. Please PM me the diverse areas you speak of.

Thanks

<<end hijack

RELATED QUESTION TO ALL:

How do you feel about upper middle class to upper class AfAms starting their own communities in efforts to escape the perils that so often are prominent in our communities? I am torn. I want to help rebuild "our" areas, but like I said before I want my kids to be safe. I want them to walk down the street and not pass drug dealers, I want them to play in parks that are not littered with syringes, etc...

What is our responsibility? In feeling a "responsibility" are we burdening ourselves with "group association" other groups do not experience? I am curious to the opinions of others...

[Dionysus]

Originally posted by Exquisite5
Actually alum, my hubby and I just opened our search to VA, but all we have found so far are areas with very little diversity. Please PM me the diverse areas you speak of.

Thanks

<<end hijack

RELATED QUESTION TO ALL:

How do you feel about upper middle class to upper class AfAms starting their own communities in efforts to escape the perils that so often are prominent in our communities? I am torn. I want to help rebuild "our" areas, but like I said before I want my kids to be safe. I want them to walk down the street and not pass drug dealers, I want them to play in parks that are not littered with syringes, etc...

What is our responsibility? In feeling a "responsibility" are we burdening ourselves with "group association" other groups do not experience? I am curious to the opinions of others...

Commute? There were several families at my previous church who lived in the burbs, but still continued to serve black communities in the inner city.

[Honeykiss1974]

Originally posted by Exquisite5

RELATED QUESTION TO ALL:

How do you feel about upper middle class to upper class AfAms starting their own communities in efforts to escape the perils that so often are prominent in our communities? I am torn. I want to help rebuild "our" areas, but like I said before I want my kids to be safe. I want them to walk down the street and not pass drug dealers, I want them to play in parks that are not littered with syringes, etc...

What is our responsibility? In feeling a "responsibility" are we burdening ourselves with "group association" other groups do not experience? I am curious to the opinions of others...

I don't have a problem with people wanting to live in a safe neighborhood - shoot, I'm one of those people. lol

I believe we are not the only group that dabbles in "group associations". I live in a predominately white city and there are all white, class-based neighborhoods here. The only difference between "us"(blacks) and "them" (whites) is that we are made to feel guilty for wanting to live and raise our children in safe neighborhoods.

[Live2Serve]

I personaly do not feel there is anything wrong with wanting to seperate yourself from that which you feel is "bad" (for lack of a better word) so that you and your family can feel secure. What becomes a problem is when you begin to feel "better" than those you left. My mother and I literally moved 2 miles up the street and found that our new neighborhood was extremely safer than the one we left however we still go back and get involved with their yard sales and community programs. lol I've never felt "torn" about leaving the nieghborhood because in the long run we (my mother and I) had to make a choice that worked best for us. Cant please everybody lol

[smc112]

Originally Posted by Ideal08

BrandNubian,
The Links is an organization of Black women. I don't know much about it, only what I read in the book. It is a very selective sisterhood that does work in the Black community, and requires extensive hours of community service in our communities. Each chapter only has 55 members, and membership is by invitation only, and is only extended if an opening becomes availabe. So, only if a chapter member dies, relocates, or resigns (which is rare). Women normally join well after college, usually in their 40's or 50's. I think that's what the book said. I hope this helps!

I know some women that were a part of the Links, but they dropped the org because they didn't want to continue paying those high dues. The Links are a bunch of older women, and I don't understand why anyone in their 30's would want to join. Also, I don't hear about them doing that much in the community, but I'm sure that would vary wherever you are located.

[WenD08]

wow, tell us how you really feel

a Link
30-something
in a chapter w/20- and 30-somethings
quite (and happily) active in a hard-working chapter
dues...Link business...

[smc112]

Originally Posted by WenD08

wow, tell us how you really feel

a Link
30-something
in a chapter w/20- and 30-somethings
quite (and happily) active in a hard-working chapter
dues...Link business...

Like I said before, it depends on where you are located. The Link chapters that I know of are filled with a bunch of women from the late 50's -80's. Why would any young person in their twenties and thirties want to be involved with that age group? It is too big of an age gap. That's good that you are in a chapter that is actually doing something.

[Senusret I]

^^^ I'm sure I said this before, but the Washington Metropolitan Links gave me a writing award when I was but 15 years old. Alelia Bundles was the chairwoman of the event, long before she had written the Madam CJ Walker Biography.

Yes, the majority of the women in attendance were older, but Alelia seemed to be in her 30s (or she just looked damn good for her age).

The Links definitely provided that positive reinforcement that young black writers and poets need. Not sure if it was a national programmatic thrust or a chapter thing.

[WenD08]

i answered based on your tone. if you ask 1000 younger members why they wanted to join, you'd get 1000 answers. the age of the members, including my original chapter and my current one, as well as the members as a whole for me, wasn't an issue.
at any rate, is this rhetorical? or are you asking as an aspirant or out of curiousity? my questions are rhetorical. why asking why about personal decisions makes me wonder why does one wonder...