The black middle class in America (1865- ) is made up of those black families who own their own homes. Some say it is made up of those who have a university degree or own a small business. For the most part it comes down to the same thing.
About half of all black Americans are now middle class.
Because so many poor blacks live at the doorstep of the American media machine, in New York and Los Angeles, many whites have this picture of blacks as being mainly poor. They would be in utter shock if they drove through some of the all-black middle class suburbs of, say, New York or Atlanta.
It is a part of America you rarely see on television or in films, yet it is one of the most notable changes that has taken place in the country in the past 50 years.
There has been a black middle class since at least the 1860s when the slaves were freed. Most blacks were poor back then but they still needed undertakers and barbers, ministers and teachers.
The black middle class was small until the 1960s. After that it started to grow. By the 1980s it had come into its own: “The Cosby Show”, Anita Baker, Terry McMillan and so on. Even Run DMC and LL Cool J, if the truth be told.
A married black couple with university educations makes almost as much money as their white counterparts. But compared to whites they have little money saved – many live paycheck to paycheck – and their houses are not worth as much.
Their houses are worth less for two reasons:
- They tend to live in older, but still nice, houses closer to the centre of the city.
- A house in a white neighbourhood is worth more than the very same house in a mixed or black neighbourhood.
Most whites live in places where there are only a few black families. If too many blacks start moving into their neighbourhood, whites start moving out in increasing numbers. After a point only the old people are white while almost all the children are black. In time the whole neighbourhood becomes black.
Most whites do not want to live near too many blacks, even middle class ones. Among other things, they see them as bringing in crime and lowering the value of their homes.
A common idea is that the black middle class has sold out, that they are acting white, that they are not black enough. That is what the hopelessly square Carlton in the television show “Fresh Prince” is all about.
A sad fact: For every 100 black women who have a university degree, only 70 black men do. That means nearly 30% of them will never marry: most men are not willing to marry a woman who makes more money than they do and most white men are not willing to marry a black woman, who will give them black babies.
See also:
- Interview with Mary Pattillo – she is one of the leading sociologists who studies the black middle-class
- Race in America
- How white people think
- The welfare queen stereotype
- sundown towns
- mutual assimilation
- white flight
- Growing up black and middle-class:
The Black middle class deserves recognition. For decades, this class was ignored by the powers that be. Or, the powers that be may be so jealous of Black success that they either minimize or try to destroy such success through mobs(think Tulsa in 1920).
What say you?
Steph
I think that most people’s ideas about the world change little after age 30. That means the people at the top of society, who are mainly in their 60s, think it is about 1973, give or take five years. It is not a question of minimizing it: they have no idea how large the black middle class is to begin with.
With Obama in the spotlight that may change. I could see Time magazine doing a cover story on this some time in the summer. I am expecting an email from them any day now (haha).
great blog. I grew up in the middle class with no media representation. But I was still fly anyway. . .and always will be. Keep on keeping on.
W
P.S. Can I add you to my blog roll?
I agree with you the SOME white or non-black men do not want to marry black women, but many want to and do marry black women. Many…
Well, some white men in North America will marry black, I agree (I am not blind), but I think most, meaning more than half of them, will not.
Some think black women are not good looking,
some think they are too hard to get along with,
some do not want to go against their family’s wishes and
some do not want black children.
I think I am on safe ground when I say that all these somes add up to more than half of all white men.
Yes, by all means, add me to your blog roll!
“Most whites live in places where there are only a few black families.”
WELL? MOST BLACKS LIVE IN PLACES WHERE THERE ARE ONLY A FEW WHITE FAMILIES.
“Most whites do not want to live near too many blacks, even middle class ones.”
WELL? MOST BLACKS DO NOT WANT TO LIVE NEAR TOO MANY WHITES…
You must be white.
“You must be white.”
Period.
lmfao!!!
Great post. I can always trust you to come through, it seems….
Some think black women are not good looking,
some think they are too hard to get along with,
some do not want to go against their family’s wishes and
some do not want black children.
I think I am on safe ground when I say that all these somes add up to more than half of all white men.
Yes, dear. Yes you are. But heaven forbid one actually point these things out.
Hi, I’m a white guy which I’m sure puts me at a disadvantage on your site. I can’t wait to see the responses. I’ve date a lot of women black and white and inbetween meaning a lot of other races. I do agree that family exerts a lot of influence on choices to marry and that’s from all races that are different. I think it is tough on the kids and the parents need to be prepared for that and realize it may cause problems with acceptance by society. On another side, I’ve been turned off when some of the women I’ve dated felt uncomfortable with me as a white guy interacting with their friends and wanted me to be ‘mo black’ or in other words more ‘manly’ like a lot of macho males do but I think more so in black and hispanic cultures. I feel that I’m tough in my own way and that I don’t have to go around with tattoes and backwards baseball caps spouting endless opinions to prove it. I think that would be like me telling the woman I love to dye her hair blonde when it was black because I thought it would look prettier around my white friends. Anyway, no matter what culture, I will say that if any woman comes off with the bossy ‘take it or leave it’ without giving a guy a chance for fear of rejection than they’ve already lost it with me. Its about respect on both sides even though there’s a lot of room for romance. Just leave the attitude halle berry stuff at home.
WTF is “Halle Berry attitude stuff”?!?
Mira, I’m wondering the same thing.
You all sure don’t keep up with the news and her hair trigger remarks when she sees someone as ‘having a racial moment’- a BBC DJ , but she doesn’t mind dishing out the anti semitic humor about the ‘big nose’ jewish friend on jay leno. That’s minor slights but it shows that anyone has this underlying stuff that can pop up as she is so quick to lay the stuff on someone else. That’s WTF. So now that you know I’m sure you will feel free to look it up on the web and see that poor little halle is not so slighted. Its the respect thing again I’m talking about here and not every battle is worth the war. That’s why I say its hard for interracial marriages because folks want to play dumb and not give respect and call things for what they are by action and not by preconceived notions and give others a hard time. Anyone can be a racist just as anyone can change but no one walks on water. The interracial couples face a lot of folks who aren’t into respect.
Anyone can be a racist just as anyone can change but no one walks on water.
Tiger Woods walks on water. I’ve seen a video of it.
Hi, I’m a white guy which I’m sure puts me at a disadvantage on your site. I can’t wait to see the responses.
How so? How do we know you’re white? You can’t wait to see the responses, well neither can I!
On another side, I’ve been turned off when some of the women I’ve dated felt uncomfortable with me as a white guy interacting with their friends and wanted me to be ‘mo black’ or in other words more ‘manly’ like a lot of macho males do but I think more so in black and hispanic cultures.
Don’t date women who feel uncomfortable with you whilst out in public! Sheesh. I love manly men! what’s wrong with manly men, you got something against them?
I feel that I’m tough in my own way and that I don’t have to go around with tattoes and backwards baseball caps spouting endless opinions to prove it
You love to stereotype others eh? There are a lot of manly men out there who do not fit that stereotype. All they have to do is stand still and look stupid and women flock to them. Perhaps you should apply this strategy!
I think that would be like me telling the woman I love to dye her hair blonde when it was black because I thought it would look prettier around my white friends.
Women will dye their hair however they like. They will just find another man if the one they are with doesn't like it!
Anyway, no matter what culture, I will say that if any woman comes off with the bossy ‘take it or leave it’ without giving a guy a chance for fear of rejection than they’ve already lost it with me.
In other words, if they do not stroke your almost non-existant ego and behave submissively, than you don’t want them.
You all sure don’t keep up with the news and her hair trigger remarks when she sees someone as ‘having a racial moment’-
I read the National Inquirer so I wouldn’t know about that.
So now that you know I’m sure you will feel free to look it up on the web and see that poor little halle is not so slighted.
Nope, I would prefer to shop for handbags on the web. Hey, do you know where I can get a deal on Tano handbags?
black woman telling their white boyfriends to act more black doesn’t seem like it would be a common thing.
I like my white men to be white. Thanks.
And I don’t know what “be mo’ black” means. And why it would involve tattoos (which I generally don’t like).
Come on?
White neighbourhoods and black neighbourhoods? I don’t know what they call it in America, but that’s segregation.
It’s not the 1800′s!
Really, I mean why can’t a black guy date a white girl? It’s skin colour for crying out loud! I’ve seen American media and not many stereotype black people as being disadvantaged and homeless because of the negative reviews they would get.
“Most men are not willing to marry a woman who makes more money than they do and most white men are not willing to marry a black woman, who will give them black babies.”
Ok. What the hell? So now we’re just bringing back sexism too?
Come on, grow up and start living in the 2000′s. Nobody cares if you’re black or white or green.
No offense to people off to go Ku-Klux-Klan’ing but discrimination is ridiculous and childish.
And worse, it’s boring.
i swear this race and class issue leaves no one blameless, i grew up in gary, ind, and saw full well how realtors treated my dad when he was to buy a home,til they saw how much he made from his job at uss(tin mill). boy how they changed their tune.as for white men and black women, it’s picking up fast here, i live in minnesota and have heard black men say they don’t want us and how white females are so much better and will do more for them to meet their needs and look better to their folks and friends. okay, more power to both.my take on it is this, no matter how much money you have, what race you are, who you’re with,where you live,job and schooling,too, there’s always to be someone in your midst that gets issues on you,shake off the haters and live your life to the hilt because at the real of it all our lives and experiences are all we have.
The problem with underrepresentation of middle class blacks in America, in my opinion, focuses on the lack of developmental networks within our communities to help rise some of the impoverished black neighborhoods. How can you truly break the chain when so many of our own are left behind, and those that have successfully improved their economic standing fail to build on that triumph that should extend to those that so desperately need to see these positive examples. Networking and mobilizing is the key failures that have led to the failed movements since the Civil Rights era. To the change the system, you have to learn to play the system, by working together. Any ideas on this please feel free to respond.
@ Roger,
Perhaps a series of blogs/bulletin boards that are set up for networking: business investment opportunities, jobs, education, training, housing, mentoring or whatever information that might be uplifting or helpful to whomever in need.
If we can somehow get past our issues of trust, people not committed to keeping their word, jealousy, competitiveness (as opposed to cooperation) and self-hate, and stop doing everything the way “others” do them (because that’s the way its always been done) Black folks could thrive like never before.
Another idea: a series of gatherings similar in principle and the spirit of the million man march/gathering – but on a smaller scale. Instead of gathering in only one location, interested parties could come together as a community where ever we – in whatever city or town – all across America to share resources, information, and whatever …
“Networking and mobilizing is the key failures that have led to the failed movements since the Civil Rights era.”
The local black church was an integral component in many aspects of black life prior to and during the civil rights movement. Especially mobilizing .. Today, not so much.
“Well, some white men in North America will marry black, I agree (I am not blind), but I think most, meaning more than half of them, will not.”
Even if only 30 percent of White men would marry Black women, that would entail all the available Black women, even ones that don’t want a White man.
I am a long-standing member of the black middle class. Both sides of my family were middle class going way back to the 1800s. My great, great grandfather was a minister, my uncle marched with Dr. King, I think it’s interesting that a lot of people don’t understand that we exist – even black folks – and have forever. When I hear people talking about sell outs and authentic blackness they seem to be alluding to the belief that most blacks are part of the underclass. However, the truth is blacks have always existed in every strata of American society: poor, middle class, upper class.