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Title: Our Kind of People: Inside America's Black Upper Class by Lawrence Otis Graham ISBN: 0-06-098438-4 Publisher: Perennial Pub. Date: 01 February, 2000 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 2.81 (216 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: I have read the book and applaud Mr. Graham for his courage.
Comment: I have just finished reading "Our Kind of People" and applaud Mr. Graham for writing about a not too well understood sector of the black population in this country. As an "Alpha",a Ph.D. scientist at a leading research institute, and a medical school professor, I have had much contact with the so-called "black elite" on a professional and social basis. However, after reading Mr. Graham's book, I have a much better understanding of the lives of a unique group of successful people who happen to be black. As for the critics of this book who have spewed forth vitriolic comments and unwarranted personal attacks on the author, I say "shame on you." Do you attack white authors who write condescendingly about blacks? - I think not. Yes, I agree that the subject matter in this book is uncomfortable to some extent (no one likes snobs), but it is also inspiring to read about blacks who have a legacy of success. I look forward to Mr. Graham's book tour to my city so that he can autograph my book and I can personally congratulate him on the courage to write a book that he knew would be controversial. Let us all encourage this brother to write more books.
Rating: 4
Summary: Tell the Truth and Shame the Devil!
Comment: this book is fascinating although it lacks a creative literary style. However, what would you expect from an attorney turned author who probably writes more briefs than prose. Regardless, this book seems to have an honest and remarkably objective view of elite black organizations. The traditions, values and attitudes are so familiar. Anyone black reading this book will immediately recognize a friend, neighbor, co-worker or enemy in the lines of this book who has tried to separate themself from the "ghetto" or "middle class" ranks of their black peers. The quotes from people are very honest and almost brutal at times. I wouldn't read this if you can't stomach the thought that there may be a different "race" of blacks in America. However, Graham is very cautious not to indict those groups and people he has closely aligned himself. He tries to point out the good and the bad, but I think he only scratches the surface of the UGLY. It's a good read. It reinforces the notion of black America's three greatest missed opportunities because of our inter-racial divisivness..1)Marcus Garvey & W.E.B. DuBois, 2)Booker T. Washington & Federick Douglass and 3)Martin Luther King, Jr. & Malcolm X. After reading the book I realize that there's nothing wrong with forming circles based on social and economical means. Whites do this all the time, but we take it to another level including skin color and hair texture. How sad. Whites would view this as laughable while at the same time denying any shade of black access to eat at the food counter of life and true freedom. Thank you, Mr. Graham for the TRUTH.
Rating: 2
Summary: Author has an identity crisis and loves to name drop
Comment: Lawrence Otis Graham details the history and social world of the black elite through its exclusive clubs, sororities/fraternities, and preferred colleges, vacation spots and organizations. As a white person, I was eager to learn more about this world that was indeed unknown to me. What I learned is that snobbery and arrogance are not limited by color. It apparently is just as strong among people of color as it can be among elite whites. A snob is a snob.
Graham talks about groups such as Jack and Jill, which has chapters across the country, for the children of the black elite to mingle, visit museums and travel abroad. Also included are groups such as the Links and the Girl Friends (for elite black women), and the Boule and the Guardsmen (for elite black men). Also included are college sororities and fraternities. If you aren't in one of these groups, or your parents weren't, well, you're just not worthy of notice, Graham explains and confirms.
I had two major difficulties with this book. First, the author seems both repulsed and entranced with his long-standing involvement in these groups. He goes to great pains to say he wasn't fully entrenched (his parents went to the wrong schools and he went to (gasp!) Princeton instead of Morehouse) and yet he was actively involved in Jack and Jill and is now in the Boule. He contradicts himself constantly, pointing out how scathing elite blacks can be about those less fortunate of their race, and then agrees with how uncomfortable such "low lifes" make him feel.
Second, the book does more name dropping than any I've ever read. It gets incredibly tedious after a while.
I did, however, find the stories about those who attempted to pass for white fascinating. I had heard of this but never seen it detailed, even if it was briefly. Had there been more attention given to this, it would have definitely been a better book.
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Title: A Member of the Club : Reflections on Life in a Racially Polarized World by Lawrence Otis Graham ISBN: 0060984309 Publisher: Perennial Pub. Date: 09 October, 1996 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: BLACK BOURGEOISIE by Franklin Frazier ISBN: 0684832410 Publisher: Free Press Pub. Date: 13 February, 1997 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
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Title: The Rage of a Privileged Class by Ellis Cose ISBN: 0060925949 Publisher: Perennial Pub. Date: 11 January, 1995 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
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Title: The BAP Handbook : The Official Guide to the Black American Princess by Kalyn Johnson, Tracey Lewis, Karla Lightfoot, Ginger Wilson ISBN: 0767905504 Publisher: Broadway Pub. Date: 05 June, 2001 List Price(USD): $10.95 |
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Title: The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois ISBN: 0486280411 Publisher: Dover Pubns Pub. Date: 20 May, 1994 List Price(USD): $2.00 |
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