Talented Tenth
34 replies
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15930 views
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Started by RevolutionarySistah
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May 2004
RevolutionarySistah
Los Angeles, CA
so, I was gazing through a post and I saw this brought up, and it brought back a lot of feelings I felt when I was first introduced to this concept. For those of you who don't know, this concept was brought up by W.E.B DuBois....first black to graduate from Harvard, migrated to Ghana, Souls of Black Folk, etc. etc. Anyways, he felt that it was up to the "talented tenth" of black folk to basically carry the rest of them that are lagging.
When I thought about it, I said to myself "Is he saying that only a tenth of the total black population is talented??" But now I am starting to think that perhaps he didn't mean to say that only a tenth were talented, but out of all the talented black people, the tenth are the ones who should take responsibility for the rest.
I would really appreciate it if someone cleared this up for me. We didn't really go over it much in my history class.
And also, how do you feel about the "talented tenth" scenario?? do you think it is right, or wrong?
#11
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In my opinion, the only way we will be able to bridge the gap between the upper and lower class blacks is to do away w/ elitist attitudes such as the "Talented Tenth." While it may have applied back then, I don't think it would help our situation now. More time should be focused on coming together, rather than focusing on one particular faction.
#12
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JayDeezy wrote:I must say, I definitely disagree to an extent. The hypocrisy among black people can be deadly at times. We preach that we want to see our people do well and rise to the top of every field, and succeed in every endeavor, then we criticize and condemn them when they do not meet OUR requirements. The whole ideal of the "Talented Tenth" was to not only raise up but to promote the growth and succession of our race. We may not agree or follow the likes of many of our black leaders, but credit is still due. We may not be in agreement with some of Colin Powell's conservative policies, but credit the man for all the work and effort he has put into his career, having shown immense succession since his poverty-stricken childhood days. Some may consider Condoleeza Rice a sell-out for backing the likes of a man like Bush, but she has stood her ground, and defended herself on countless occassions against the same racist remarks and thoughts which plague us all as a nation on a day to day basis! Who are we to criticize!? As a young black man, I may not agree with everything that my predocessors act upon, but to criticize them is to subordinate all the work they have put forth to get to where they are. Many over the past couple weeks have criticized Bill Cosby for speaking what so many do, but what we say behind closed doors, he spoke publicly. We are the first one's to gossip behind one another's backs, but the last to air one another's dirty laundry publicly. Part of the problem with social reform in America is the fact that MANY are not willing and open to acknowledging the fact that educated Black males and females are not a multiplying breed, and that EVERY effort must be taken to see to it that these young black boys and girls have role models and icons to look up to, even if they are radicals like Louis Farrakhan, conservatives like Condoleeza Rice, or **** like Cornel West. Always re-evaluate the situation . . . Much love . . .
