The following is based mostly on an excellent article in New York magazine by Toure: “Black and White on Martha’s Vineyard”.
Martha’s Vineyard is an island where the Kennedys and Clintons go for their summer holiday. This summer it seems likely the Obamas will be there too.
But as liberal as Martha’s Vineyard is, it is still divided by race. But not for the reasons you might think. As one black person put it: “On the racial stress test, I’d put the Vineyard at Canadian.”
The blacks there largely keep to themselves, not because they hate whites or because the whites will not accept them, but because they spend the rest of the year being Only Ones, as in the only one who is black. They are, Toure says:
black professional and social elites who travel in worlds where they’re often the only black person in the room. The Only Ones typically break into fields or companies that admit few blacks, move into neighborhoods where few blacks live, and send their kids to mostly white schools. They are not running from their own – they’re chasing after the best they can get. They aren’t assimilationist; they’re ascensionist.
In the rest of America they are too black for the whites and not “black enough” for the blacks. Martha’s Vineyard is the one place where they, and especially their children, can be themselves and feel good about being black. Life as it should be.
The centre of Only-One life in Martha’s Vineyard is Oak Bluffs. Their bit of the shore is called the Inkwell. Paul Robeson and Martin Luther King, Jr were there. These days you can see the likes of Lani Guinier, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Carole Simpson, Spike Lee and Reggie Hudlin. But not all the blacks of the Vineyard go there. Vernon Jordan, for one.
The question is, where do the Obamas fit in? Last time they went, in 2007, they largely avoided the Only Ones. One Vineyarder noticed:
He doesn’t seem to identify with affluent black people. His wife definitely doesn’t; she is basically a ghetto girl. That’s what she says – I’m just being sociological. She grew up in the same place Jennifer Hudson did. She hasn’t reached out to the social community of Washington, and people are waiting to see what they’ll do about that.
The Obamas, for all their education, money and ascension, are not Only Ones. They both knew Only Ones at university and wanted to be nothing like them.
Barack, brought up by the white side of his family, and in Hawaii of all places, felt utterly rootless. He was black but had no where in Black America to call home. Part of what drew him to Michelle was her rootedness.
Michelle, for her part, studied what became of black Princetonians and found that most of them disappeared into the white world, cut off from blacks – the Only Ones. The very people who now show up at Martha’s Vineyard.
See also:
have you ever seen the movie the inkwell?
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I did, years ago. Till then I had no idea there were that many blacks on Martha’s Vineyard.
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I hope I never develop the “Only-One” mentallity that being in the position of the “Only-One” fosters. Oh and I love the movie the Inkwell.
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I found this site via yahoo. I’m planning a vacation at M.V. and wanted to know exactly which spot I’d be at ease at. So far I guess anywhere on the island? Any suggestions please mail me.
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keangela93@yahoo.com, forgot to leave it:)
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“The Only One’s” also form little cliques within the Internet blogging world.
Just look at people’s blogrolls – most of the more erudite bloggers are former “Only One’s” who have now found a place to imagine as their own.
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I find it extremely troubing Black people have the nerve to refer to Michelle Obama as “ghetto” because she grew up in the same neighborhood as Jennifer Hudson. First of all, I believe Ms. Hudson grew up on the westside and Mrs. Obama on the Southside. But more importantly Mrs Obama, like I, grew up in an Urban area when it was a place where people had class, style and dreams. Dont forget her father was able to allow his wife to stay home to reaise their children. Her family stayed intact until her father’s death. Neither she nor her Mother appear to be “ghetto” or “low class”. Mrs. Obama is a highly educated woman who can put her manners, education and social grace against anyone. And dont forget it was the Queen who touched her first. It is obvious to me and perhaps others who read this comment that the annoynmous author knew little about Chicago and its history and most important about the Black middle class. But I beleive what the real problem was is the person actually mistook their reflection in the mirror for that of Mrs. Obama.
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I agree: not everyone who is from the ghetto is “ghetto”. Michelle Obama is a wonderful example of that.
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These so called “Only Ones” are “Only Sick and Ignorant”! For generations, my family has very often been the only African American or one of few in many neighborhoods, universities, and employment. We also live and owned property near valuable waterfront property. Why do these stupid black people who go to Martha’s Vineyard Oak Bluffs think it is so important because they still are afraid to go to an integrated beach. Get real, eastern Afro Am people had very limited access if any to swimming areas. Southern Afro Am were not that concerned because beautiful water areas were everywhere and no silly elitism was developed. Fishing and swimming were often part of daily life and all recreational activites.
I am glad Pres. and Mrs. Obama have such dignity not to be affected by this ignorance and fear. They bdon’t seek to expose their kids to this. My family elected to shun this black snob crap as well even though on many occasions we could have been weaker! We intentionally sought opportunities to go into areas where Afro Am were not represented to further integration. We also take great pride that our family is still very diverse with acceptance of all shades, education level, and communities. At family reunions, we come from all over the world, we all eat eat watermelon together and don’t give a d—who knows we like it. Look sick people, that is just dirt and water, those little houses look like shacks and your sh— still
stinks!!!!!
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