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RACE + CLASS
How Wealthy Black People Became a Distraction From Poverty and Racism
When Black excellence is the standard, everyone else seems subpar
Sometimes it feels like the Black community is so anxious to prove that all Black people aren't poor or disenfranchised that they put Black excellence and wealth on a pedestal, further marginalizing Black people feeling the brunt of poverty and racism. Netflix's Bridgerton series poses a prime example of this phenomenon. In the fictional colorblind series by Shonda Rhimes, Black people are free to socialize and have the same opportunities as White characters. This series has become critically acclaimed for portraying Black aristocrats, able to overcome racism through love. The series also feeds into the notion that Black people can easily overcome racism and poverty.
However, wealth does not innoculate Black people from experiencing racism. When Oprah traveled to Switzerland, a White sales clerk suggested the purse she wanted was "too expensive for her" to afford? Stereotypes about Black people made the clerk doubt a Black woman could afford what she wanted. Instead of stating the price, she was trying to discourage Oprah from making the purchase. This incident shows neither fame nor wealth can safeguard someone against racism.
The minority of wealthy Black Americans often serve as an unwanted distraction from poverty and racism. As a result, some celebrities have used their platform to raise awareness. For example, when speaking about Donald Trump's greed and the Black generational wealth gap, Tupac said, "everyone needs a little help to be self-reliant." In doing so, he rejected the age-old "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" jargon so dominant in American politics. But this message seems wholly different from the modern-day wealthy hip-hop artists whose songs often mock poor people in their communities.
Lil Wayne, for instance, said, "there's no such thing as racism" because he sees many White fans at his shows. Now that he's wealthy, he can entertain silly ideas of race neutrality, even though he couldn't escape the abject poverty of New Orlean's 17th ward without the help of Cash Money Records, allegedly funded by drug money. Lil Wayne grew up in abject poverty in New…
