Black Middle Class - Conversations from Penn State

Mary Pattillo discusses the rarely studied and often overlooked African American middle class. Discover the history of the black middle class, learn about conflicts between middle class and poor African Americans, and find out how the election of President Obama has altered the dialogue.

Buy the DVD here: http://soar.ois.psu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/SOAR.woa/wo/42.0.9.4.5.15.1.31.3.1...

http://conversations.psu.edu/episodes/mary_pattillo

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[21centuryg]

How does that prevent it from not existing? There are serial killers, child molesters, and drug dealers in white middle class neighborhoods. Does that make them any less middle class? I live in a black middle class neighborhood, and I've yet to see any gangs.

[Aprinsa]

Wow! I grew up in a white community and would love to show this to some people from high school who think race isn't an issue!!

[LifeLibertyLove]

@Aprinsa Everyone gets picked on for how they look, this idea of white verses black is bullshit. I have seen people made fun of consistently for being Polish, Italian, German, Jewish all of these things being white, I have seen blacks made fun of by other blacks for using words actually from a dictionary and they made fun of them calling them white(the black people) so this idea that it is black verses white is bullshit. It is stupid people verses smart people.

[MusicandRitual]

It's not really scholarship, and this has become a practical disease within the academy over the past 40 years. Sociology had become a playpen for social activists. There are, for all practical purposes, no sociologists within the academy that are not overtly Progressive (read regressive) Liberal activists- exactly what she admitted she was. She would never have received tenure if she had strayed from the party line. Of that we can be certain.

[lordblazer]

@m015094

also I am black and middle class, grew up middle class. Lived in all black area for a portion of my life, other parts I've lived in other countries. I've lived in other states in the US on military bases(military one of the most egalitarian institutions in the US very tolerant, they do not tolerate racism). Anyway its interesting to see because the middle class of blacks is largely ignored. Even my experience people simply think its unusual despite how common it actually.

[lordblazer]

@m015094

also I am black and middle class, grew up middle class. Lived in all black area for a portion of my life, other parts I've lived in other countries. I've lived in other states in the US on military bases(military one of the most egalitarian institutions in the US very tolerant, they do not tolerate racism). Anyway its interesting to see because the middle class of blacks is largely ignored. Even my experience people simply think its unusual despite how common it actually.

[lordblazer]

@m015094

it kind of makes sense. a lot of black people who earn their degrees sometimes move back to their old area if their family owns the home. usually doing this can change the income demographic of an area. But also she is neglecting to mention that there are black middle class areas.

[m015094]

This lady says that middle class blacks are living in areas of more poverty than poor whites.

That does not make logical sense.

[fred5399]

@askar4kill As are most African Americans.

[WaywardWinds]

Wonderful conversation. 

[askar4kill]

She looks mixed with something