The New Talented Tenth

own and other races.”

Fundamentally, Du Bois was saying that the charge of the educated Black was to lift the veil of ignorance, as Booker T. Washington called it, from the masses of the newly emancipated Black people.

But unlike Washington, who provided specialized industrial education, Du Bois said the power of the Black elite would “lie in its knowledge and character, not in its wealth.”  In his mind, the awesome and important task was for the privileged and talented few to elevate the many.

As to the historic Washington – Du Bois debate, I take the view that they were both right.  Too often in life, we tend to think the answer is either/or when actually it is both/and.  Washington built a great, lasting institution and Du Bois gave us a powerful, lasting idea.

Let me explain to you how this subject – the Talented Tenth – came to me.

Every year at Martha’s Vineyard in August, there is an auction for the local charities, called “The Possible Dreams Auction.”

It is the type of auction where you bid money to have Carly Simon come sing at your home after dinner; or drive in a race car with Al Unser, Jr. – who has won the Indianapolis 500; or go to a premier of a movie with Doug Liman, who directed the Jason Bourne movies; or dine at the beautiful home of the late Katharine Graham; or spend an evening on the late Walter Cronkhite’s boat.

For the last 20 years, I have been auctioned off for 18 holes of golf and lunch at the Farm Neck Country Club.

And, for 19 of those 20 years, I have been “bought” at the auction by White people.

Last summer, I went to the driving range to meet the person who paid for the privilege of witnessing my less-than-mediocre golf game; and for the first time, the winner was a Black man who had invited two other brothers to play a foursome of four brothers.

The brother who bought me went to Columbia University, Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School, and is a partner in a major New York law firm.

The second brother went to Franklin Pierce University, in New Hampshire, and Harvard Business School, and is a private-equity partner at a large bank.

The third brother attended Wofford College and Clemson University, both in South Carolina, of course.  He is a partner in a major accounting firm.

As we approached the 10th hole, it dawned on me that these brothers are the New Talented Tenth.

And, just this fortnight I had meetings with two outstanding Black women: the one, the chairman and CEO of a Fortune 500 company, and the other – the chief investment officer of a large state pension fund, where she manages a $145-billion portfolio.

And, this morning, I stand here speaking to Howard University students who, like the others, are the New Talented

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