The Black Elite

[Exquisite5]

Originally posted by AKA_Monet


YAH KNOW!!!! I'm like DAYUM!!! These are the kids that are SUPPOSED to make it!!! Instead, it's the opposite!!! The kids I grew up with... Ghetto games 2000... Few, and I can count them on my fingers, are where we are s'pose to be at in our lives... The other ones--crack addicts, one killed himself, have 4 kids by different men before the age of 25, homeless, strugglin' with the drug crystal meth or ECSTASY... Arrested for raping somebody. Contracted HIV thru IV drug use... Gave it to 5 different partners... Just dumb stuff. It kinda hurts 'cuz the outta of the men, their ain't nobody to date. Then outta the women, the bruhs don't wanna date so they date other women with less problems. My friends and I are always discussing that constantly because now we're at the age group that are supposed to start taking leadership positions in the city... Oh well...

Really, this is all kind of interesting to me to hear this. Everyone I've grown up with in Jack and Jill and Top Teens, supposedly part of the Houston black "elite" is doing fine. They are either in law, medical or dental school and if not, they are working. My friend, a member of very prominent family- her mom is a U.S. Congresswoman- is actually giving back and doing Teach For America.

I think some of EVERY class makes bad decisions. I do not feel that stupidity is any more prevelent among the black bourgoisie (sp?).

Additionally, all my life I've been teased because of where I live, how I speak, what car my parents drive, etc... As if, I chose the family I was born into and that for some reason my black card should be revoked. I'm proud that my grandfather started/owned the first black foundry in the state of TX and I don't think that makes me better- its just a part of my family's and TX history. That is just the legacy my grandfather left my father and the rest of us to carry on. Let's not down people for being born into wealth--- lets just all try and build the black economic market. We definitely could use a few more black owned businesses.

[Peace]

It is good to hear a perpective from someone of this class. Like you said, "Let's not down people for being born into wealth" I don't, and don't care if you are of wealth, my only problem is most of there ATTITUDES....and the way they down those who aren't born into wealth.

Originally posted by Exquisite5



Really, this is all kind of interesting to me to hear this. Everyone I've grown up with in Jack and Jill and Top Teens, supposedly part of the Houston black "elite" is doing fine. They are either in law, medical or dental school and if not, they are working. My friend, a member of very prominent family- her mom is a U.S. Congresswoman- is actually giving back and doing Teach For America.

I think some of EVERY class makes bad decisions. I do not feel that stupidity is any more prevelent among the black bourgoisie (sp?).

Additionally, all my life I've been teased because of where I live, how I speak, what car my parents drive, etc... As if, I chose the family I was born into and that for some reason my black card should be revoked. I'm proud that my grandfather started/owned the first black foundry in the state of TX and I don't think that makes me better- its just a part of my family's and TX history. That is just the legacy my grandfather left my father and the rest of us to carry on. Let's not down people for being born into wealth--- lets just all try and build the black economic market. We definitely could use a few more black owned businesses.

[oneinamillion]

Originally posted by Exquisite5



Really, this is all kind of interesting to me to hear this. Everyone I've grown up with in Jack and Jill and Top Teens, supposedly part of the Houston black "elite" is doing fine. They are either in law, medical or dental school and if not, they are working. My friend, a member of very prominent family- her mom is a U.S. Congresswoman- is actually giving back and doing Teach For America.

I think some of EVERY class makes bad decisions. I do not feel that stupidity is any more prevelent among the black bourgoisie (sp?).

Additionally, all my life I've been teased because of where I live, how I speak, what car my parents drive, etc... As if, I chose the family I was born into and that for some reason my black card should be revoked. I'm proud that my grandfather started/owned the first black foundry in the state of TX and I don't think that makes me better- its just a part of my family's and TX history. That is just the legacy my grandfather left my father and the rest of us to carry on. Let's not down people for being born into wealth--- lets just all try and build the black economic market. We definitely could use a few more black owned businesses.

uummh? Exquisite5 pm me if I'm wrong but I really don't see in this thread where anyone down someone for being of wealth or in a "higher social class".

What is primarily being expressed is that whatever social class you are from it doesn't make you officially better than the other people no matter what group you join. That is the prior points that have been made........noone is downing anyone because of the class they are/were born into.

[Exquisite5]

Oneinamillion....if you see it that way..so be it. I was responding to the post (not the entire thread) that is quoted in my response. Basically, talking about all these children of J&J/TT that were doing stupid things.

My point is EVERYONE does stupid things...why do you feel the need to point out those who were once in J&J and are now doing stupid things? There are a whole lot of HIV infected, crack heads, and whatever else who were not born into privilege...why point out and laugh at these? Let's try and help EVERYONE.

[ClassyLady]

I read Our Kind of People two summers ago. Most of the information was not new to me.

I am kind of straddling the fence on this issue. My family is upper middle class, but my parents never bought into the whole "elite" idea. They both declined invitations to the Boule and the Links. They were always unimpressed with the so-called elite. My father is actually quite contemptuous of some of them. He feels that a lot of people who are the elite now benefitted from the Civil Rights Movement but did not give back or help out other people once they made it to where they wanted to be.

As children, my sisters and I were exposed to the finer things in life and benefitted from my parents hard work. But, they also emphasized the fact that we weren't better than anyone else and that despite their paychecks we were still black. I went to an expensive all-white private elementary school during the week, but on Friday afternoon my mother picked us up and took us back to the neighborhood that she grew up in. She always kept us aware of who we were and where we came from.

[oneinamillion]

Originally posted by Exquisite5
Oneinamillion....if you see it that way..so be it. I was responding to the post (not the entire thread) that is quoted in my response. Basically, talking about all these children of J&J/TT that were doing stupid things.

My point is EVERYONE does stupid things...why do you feel the need to point out those who were once in J&J and are now doing stupid things? There are a whole lot of HIV infected, crack heads, and whatever else who were not born into privilege...why point out and laugh at these? Let's try and help EVERYONE.

I totally bagged up that post! that I posted SHOW YOU RIGHT under and yes, you're right people from all aspects make foolish decisions. But we're talking about the black elite.....if we were talking about those not born into privilege then that would be a whole 'nother thread (I'm responding to the subject at hand). And whose to say...I or anyone else laughed. WAIT.....I CAN'T LIE I DID LAUGH, because it's true and these groups and their products (children) one would never expect them to mess up since so much emphasis is based on this and that. It's just like we as black folks are shocked when Minister or Bishops John Doe's daughter come up pregnant. Of course you know the daughter is only human, but still you're shock because of who she is suppose to be, but it's a true point and we're talking about the Black elite nothing else, unless posted somewhere else.

[Jody]

Thanks Steeltrap about the correct title of his earlier book. Has anyone read it? Would you recommed it as a good book to read (the kind to get from the library or to purchase!!),

[knowledge1]

New money flaunts.
Old money preserves.

[Exquisite5]

Originally posted by knowledge1
New money flaunts.
Old money preserves.

so true...why buy an eighty thousand dollar car when you see CD and think music?

[DELTAQTE]

Originally posted by ClassyLady
I read Our Kind of People two summers ago. Most of the information was not new to me.

I am kind of straddling the fence on this issue. My family is upper middle class, but my parents never bought into the whole "elite" idea. They both declined invitations to the Boule and the Links. They were always unimpressed with the so-called elite. My father is actually quite contemptuous of some of them. He feels that a lot of people who are the elite now benefitted from the Civil Rights Movement but did not give back or help out other people once they made it to where they wanted to be.

As children, my sisters and I were exposed to the finer things in life and benefitted from my parents hard work. But, they also emphasized the fact that we weren't better than anyone else and that despite their paychecks we were still black. I went to an expensive all-white private elementary school during the week, but on Friday afternoon my mother picked us up and took us back to the neighborhood that she grew up in. She always kept us aware of who we were and where we came from.

Girl are you my sister? Cause you just explained my childhood


QTE

[Steeltrap]

Well, I learned from another board that I'm on that good ol' Lawrence Otis Graham has decided to create a Social Register of the "Talented Tenth."

http://www.ourkindofpeople.com/

I peeped the nomination form and it included categories for "summer residence, "lineage" and "cotillions." Just FYI. I am going to reserve comment.

[Honeykiss1974]

Originally posted by Steeltrap
Well, I learned from another board that I'm on that good ol' Lawrence Otis Graham has decided to create a Social Register of the "Talented Tenth."

http://www.ourkindofpeople.com/

I peeped the nomination form and it included categories for "summer residence, "lineage" and "cotillions." Just FYI. I am going to reserve comment.

OMG! Can you say self-esteem issues or what? Is this being done because some folks feel the need to validate their self-worth and status with a registry? CTFU???? *LOL* I swear some of us (AfAm) place important on some real dumb ish.

My 150 million dollar question is why? Seriously....? I was taught that those who "flaunt their money", so to speak was a sign of bad manners and just plain uncouth.

I guess my summers at grandma's wouldn't be elite enough *lol*
Another question asked if the college you attended was public or private...*lol* I guess public education is soooo urban to some folks.

WOW, this is pretty funny to me.

[Steeltrap]

Originally posted by Honeykiss1974 (in part)


My 150 million dollar question is why? Seriously....? I was taught that those who "flaunt their money", so to speak was a sign of bad manners and just plain uncouth.

Same here. Old money quietly, discreetly handles its business.

IMO, Lawrence Otis Graham seems, from his books, to have a big-time hangup about not being "elite." His ranting about not being in an NPHC fraternity in college had me CTFU. Hey, Law, there's something called graduate chapter.

The whole Our Kind of People 800 idea seems rather recherche, which means "pretentious," BTW. But I'm getting a good laugh out of this.

[1savvydiva]

Originally posted by Steeltrap (in part)




The whole Our Kind of People 800 idea seems rather recherche, which means "pretentious

I agree, I just cannot believe that he is serious! This takes "classism" to a entirely different level. I wonder if these families that are already "identified for possible inclusion" are in agreement with this, or is he just spouting off names on his 'wish-list'?

Does anyone know where his family's money came from? I did not, and probably will not, read the book. I am just wondering why he feels the need to be 'self-proclaimed' an expert on class and creditials of the black elite?

[lovesupreme08]

Sorors,

The black elite is a very real class of people within our community here in America. I akin them to the talented tenth that W.E.B Dubois speaks of as leading the race out of the depths of despair into the light (loosely that is what he says). But to be real, he also mention Black Greek Letter Organizations as a part of that black elite system. I mean I think that it is rather unfortunate that within an oppressed class of people we reach to find even more things that seperates us from each other rather than uniting amoung and across oppresive structures, however this is just a way "the man" continues to keep us down.

Peace