Summary of Lawrence Otis Graham's Our Kind of People

By IRB Media

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview:

#1 I grew up believing that there were only two types of black people: the black elite, and those who weren’t. I recall summertime visits from my maternal great-grandmother, a well-educated, light-complexioned, and straight-haired black southern woman who discouraged me and my brother from associating with darker-skinned children or from standing or playing in the sunlight for long periods of time.

#2 I learned about the importance of class distinctions within my black world at a young age. As I moved quickly to the safety of the shade, I beckoned my brother to protect his complexion from the blackening sun.

#3 I knew that I didn’t fit in with the black elite, and that I would never have the right credentials to be a part of it. I knew that I had one foot inside and one foot outside of the group.

#4 The black elite have roots that can be traced back to when slavery began in this country. When the first Africans arrived on the shores of Jamestown, Virginia, in 1619, neither the white Dutch or Portuguese slave traders nor the white American plantation owners had any knowledge of or interest in the tribal and cultural differences between the Mandingo, Dahomean, Ashanti, Mbundu, Ewe, or Bantu blacks.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: Jul 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9798822545823

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Insights on Lawrence Otis Graham's Our Kind of People

Contents

Insights from Chapter 1

Insights from Chapter 2

Insights from Chapter 3

Insights from Chapter 4

Insights from Chapter 5

Insights from Chapter 6

Insights from Chapter 7

Insights from Chapter 8

Insights from Chapter 9

Insights from Chapter 10

Insights from Chapter 11

Insights from Chapter 12

Insights from Chapter 13

Insights from Chapter 14

Insights from Chapter 15

Insights from Chapter 16

Insights from Chapter 17

Insights from Chapter 1

#1

I grew up believing that there were only two types of black people: the black elite, and those who weren’t. I recall summertime visits from my maternal great-grandmother, a well-educated, light-complexioned, and straight-haired black southern woman who discouraged me and my brother from associating with darker-skinned children or from standing or playing in the sunlight for long periods of time.

#2

I learned about the importance of class distinctions within my black world at a young age. As I moved quickly to the safety of the shade, I beckoned my brother to protect his complexion from the blackening sun.

#3

I knew that I didn’t fit in with the black elite, and that I would never have the right credentials to be a part of it. I knew that I had one foot inside and one foot outside of the group.

#4

The black elite have roots that can be traced back to when slavery began in this country. When the first Africans arrived on the shores of Jamestown, Virginia, in 1619, neither the white Dutch or Portuguese slave traders nor the white American plantation owners had any knowledge of or interest in the tribal and cultural differences between the Mandingo, Dahomean, Ashanti, Mbundu, Ewe, or Bantu blacks.

#5

The second group of slaves were those who performed the more desirable jobs inside the master’s house: cooking, cleaning, washing, and tending to the more personal needs of the owner’s family. While these laborers were still slaves, they were given more favorable treatment and access to better food, work conditions, and clothing.

#6

The third caste system was created when white people began to enslave blacks, as they were not Christians. However, they were not allowed to become free Christians, so they were given a status between free blacks and white citizens.

#7

Some black families, like the Syphaxes, gained wealth and a place among the upper class by owning land that was later used for the Arlington National Cemetery.

#8

By the 1870s, a handful of blacks were breaking into their own middle class by attending the earliest established black colleges.

#9

The black elite built their foundations in cities, close to black universities, and removed from rural poverty. They established themselves in medicine, dentistry, and law.

#10

The black elite have historically given generously to charities like the Urban League, the NAACP, and the United Negro College Fund. However, they do not consider these organizations part of their social circle in the same way they did before the 1960s.

#11

There are special churches for the black elite, and separate social groups that keep the elite separated. The choice does keep the elite separated, and it is common for black children to grow up going to different churches and social groups than their parents.

#12

There are several groups for black elites, both male and female. The most exclusive and well-known are the Links, the Girl Friends, and the Drifters.

#13

There are certain things that I noticed growing up in the black elite social world, such as the importance of tradition, and pride in family background and accomplishment.

#14

As I walked into the dark