Wealth, Education, and Culture: Sketching a 21st Century Black Elite

Chinyere Odim

Historically, sociological study on "The Black Elite" has relied upon the theoretical roots of Du Bois' "Talented Tenth" ideology to make sense of how African Americans who have gained professional and economic success in society have done so through the use of well-resourced and prestigious educational opportunities. This traditional pathway to elite status continues to have scholarly merit, however, it inadequately accounts for two recent developments in the areas of racial identity and class-based study: 1) an increase in immigration, broadening Blackness through an acknowledgement of the African diaspora; and 2) the proliferation of high-status creative, athletic, and entrepreneurial professional opportunities not requiring a traditional educational pedigree. This dissertation investigates the existence of a contemporary Black elite that is more heterogeneous and multi-faceted than previously imagined, the result of diversification of Black identity and greater access to lucrative professional opportunities. Through in-depth interviews with well-resourced Black parents of school-aged children and participant observation within sociocultural hubs frequented by Black elites in New York City and on Martha's Vineyard, this project seeks to re-examine the boundaries of who "counts" within the Black elite construct, identifying key strategies for deployment of resources and family legacy-building. Illuminating the agency of individuals at the intersection of seemingly contradictory identities, this study unearths perspectives underrepresented in the studies of elites and Black life.

About Chinyere Odim

​An interdisciplinary scholar and educator, Chinyere Odim is a PhD Candidate in Sociology at Brown University. Her research explores the sociocultural practices of elites in society, with a particular focus on tensions between marginalization and privilege among them. Chinyere is inspired by and seeks to address questions of Black agency, cultural values, and histories of access to educational opportunity through her research. In addition to the NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship, Chinyere's research has been supported by several Brown University departments and centers– including the Annenberg Institute, Center for Study of Race and Ethnicity in America, Joukowsky Institute, and the Beatrice and Joseph Feinberg Memorial Fund. Chinyere earned a BA in Sociology/Anthropology from Swarthmore College, an MS in Education from University of Pennsylvania, and an MA in Education from University of California, Berkeley. Prior to graduate study, Chinyere served as an English teacher, soccer and Track & field coach, and dorm parent at Deerfield Academy, a boarding school in Western Massachusetts.