Some black American families have enjoyed the summer place since the late 1800s. Summer Place of Congressman Rainey Purchased in 1874 I know “Blackness is Oppression. Nothing else matters.” but hear me out this morning. In my writing, I avoid dogma and slogan words. I aim to increase human knowledge. Consider this essay a public service. Where will one find some descendants of the first black congressman, Joseph Hayne Rainey (1832 - 1887), this summer? Where will one find some descendants of the elite Brown Fellowship Society (1790 - 1920) this month? Where did U.S. Senator Edward W. Brooke III have a summer place? Where will one find some of the Jack and Jill and Yale set this summer? Where are the Obamas this summer?
All answers lead to Oak Bluffs.
An isolated town on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, Oak Bluffs has been the summer playground for the Black Elite for many a year. One has arrived if one knows of Oak Bluffs. At least, this was the impression I got in New Haven last year. Whisper the name Oak Bluffs. If the listener has no clue, well, the listener is not our kind of people. A look of recognition and one can assume many things about the listener. The listener is at least second-generation college, if not more. The listener can claim the Ivy League or the Big Five HBCU (Howard, Morehouse, Spelman, Hampton, Fiske) in his or her pedigree somewhere. Jack and Jill membership offers bonus points. The listener is the descendant of an enterprising great grandparent or grandparent.
Oak Bluffs is like a Social Register for black people. Give me Coronado island and I am happy but let’s continue.
I first became aware of Oak Bluffs, country boy that I was, by reading a history of U.S. Senator Brooke. I read that Brooke had a place on Oak Bluffs and it seemed appropriate to me that a black U.S Senator would have a summer place. Oak Bluffs must be some kind of place.
Oak Bluffs entered my personal space for the first time when I dated “Allison” at Harvard Law School. Some readers may recall Allison’s grandfather was the largest property owner in New Jersey but this information was kept undercover to avoid unwelcomed attention. Allison’s great grandfather had worked as a custodian but used insider knowledge to found the family’s fortune in real estate. Had I married the Jack and Jill Allison, my summers would have been spent at the place on Oak Bluffs.
Little did I know this small town would continue to circle my consciousness. My old college/law school friend checked out Oak Bluffs to feel part of the in crowd. Good for him. A descendant of Congressman Rainey shared her year-long address in Oak Bluffs. The daughter of a wealthy entrepreneur from Philadelphia, I took note that she lived year around in town. It was not just a summer place. Wealth makes things possible. She invited us to a dinner but we could not make it.
Then I learned a distant cousin of my wife lived on the island year-long. Nice for family members as they have a place to stay during the summers. I won’t say more since a relevant family member is a Master of the Universe and might sue me/double smile. You know you are no longer in Kansas (Chester) when a family member has that kind of power. The family member in question is no stranger to national television or Oak Bluffs.
The other day, I saw a family member wearing an Oak Bluffs t-shirt. Summer is upon us and the family member heads off to where else? Oak Bluffs to enjoy the summer world of the Black Elite.
Conclusion: We should be honest about the human condition. Our great great grandparents, great grand parents and grandparents made the good things of our lives possible. Black Americans are no different in the ability to be snobby, elitist and privileged. The sooner we are honest about black privilege, the sooner we will know truth in the world of summer pleasures like Oak Bluffs.