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Our Kind of People: Inside America's Black Upper Class

lawrence otis graham

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Now a TV series on FOX starring Morris Chestnut, Yaya DaCosta, Nadine Ellis, and Joe Morton. "Fascinating. . . . [Graham] has made a major contribution both to African-American studies and the larger American picture."  — New York Times Debutante cotillions. Million-dollar homes. Summers in Martha's Vineyard. Membership in the Links, Jack & Jill, Deltas, Boule, and AKAs. An obsession with the right schools, families, social clubs, and skin complexion. This is the world of the black upper class and the focus of the first book written about the black elite by a member of this hard-to-penetrate group. Author and TV commentator Lawrence Otis Graham, one of the nation's most prominent spokesmen on race and class, spent six years interviewing the wealthiest black families in America. He includes historical photos of a people that made their first millions in the 1870s. Graham tells who's in and who's not in the group today with separate chapters on the elite in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Nashville, and New Orleans. A new Introduction explains the controversy that the book elicited from both the black and white communities.

406 pages, Paperback

First published January 6,1999

This edition

Format
406 pages, Paperback
Published
December 22, 1999 by Harper Perennial
ISBN
9780060984380
ASIN
0060984384
Language
English

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lawrence otis graham

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Rating(4 / 5.0, 100 votes)
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Riskzz
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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So much of this book made me sad for the so-called upper black people. I also understood even more why there is so much self hate from many black people, from normal everyday people to many wealthy celebrities. It's impeded in their syce. To make it,disassociate. After this book,I am back on my reading journey for more of James Baldwin, Maya Angelo, W E Dubois, etc. work. Whew!
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NiaLynx
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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This book portrays “real” black history…. American black history…. that should be taught be our school systems. This book and Caste by Isabel Wilkerson would be my top 2 recommendations as a school requirement. “Our Kind of People” brought understanding and balance to the older generations standards. It explained what they were fighting for and how these generations were able to break barriers. Yes, the elite blacks separated themselves from the general population, but this book explained how they used this status to fight for the greater good.
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JoergeJoeMama54
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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I was reminded of this book I'd read years ago, because it's Black History Month in the United States, and this book is a part of black history that's not often told.
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NinjaKittyTrist
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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I find the lives of the Black elite very interesting. We as persons of color are very diverse and come from different backgrounds. That point needs to be understood and that not every Black person is what you see displayed in the media.

On the other hand, it was difficult to read about the colorism and caste system that still exists within this elite class. The snobbish attitudes toward people with lesser means is disheartening. As if, any of us had a choice into what family circumstances to which we were born.
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lorextreme
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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I’m all for Black people doing well for themselves - but I’m not into millionaires and billionaires and the hoarding of wealth - no matter the race. The amount of snobbery, colourism and lightskinned Black nonsense in this book is ridiculous - and I say that as a lightskinned Black woman. The chapter on Black frats and sororities was interesting and one of the prime reasons for wanting to read this book. As was the chapter on the history of Black elites in Detroit - but to look down on Motown stars because they weren’t - in the author’s view - “highly educated”? They were too “new money”? “Coarse?”
Ridiculous.

Even more so was the Black woman who said “white women don’t speak with poor white women...why should I speak to [poor Black women]?”

We know these people exist. It’s just sad they look down on others because of their social status and their disdain for darkskinned people. They all can choke on their burnt Champagne.
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Grumpy-Lee
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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I found the subject interesting, but the author made things a bit boring.
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Amine_SoS
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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A fascinating and necessary book. It's refreshing to see such a full throated and unapologetic celebration of black success. My assumptions and prejudices were challenged throughout.

The research that went into this book was painstaking and careful. That said, it did make the writing somewhat dry.
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