The Black Elite

[southernelle25]

Very few, SummerChild, but these few did acquire freedom and relative wealth long before 1865. These were, at least in my view, the original 'talented tenth'.

I don't defend elitist behavior on the part of any people but if there ever was a group to claim an aristocratic-like status in our communities it would be the descendants of these, not those of the new money crowd.