Jack and Jill of America, Inc.

I'm not a member but I do know people who grew up in Jack and Jill... and hear a lot about the social circles that members travel in.... In this part of the country, the elitist reputation seems well earned....

When I was growing up [in the mid-70's] my mother explicitly rejected an invitation for my sister and I to join. She knew some of the people involved and did not want to associate because of their elitist conduct.

My sister was pissed because she would not be able to "come out" in their cotillion. While I didn't care one way or the other, in 1978, I was one of 3 non-J&J cotillion escorts.

Compare the elitism of Jack & Jill with that of fraternities and sororities.

I was in Jack and Jill from the age of four until I graduated from high school when you naturally age out. I loved it, still have friends who now live around the country from it. Met people at college and in law school and in my ski club who were also in it.

I think is was positive for me, and the kids in it. My kids will be in it, when I have them and I have assisted others in joining it.

I am also a Delta, pledged in college at the same chapter my mother pledged at the same college.

Jack and Jill is a family organization for Black families.

As to the negative comments from contributors to this thread, all I can say is, quoting Jill Scott "Everything ain't for everybody".

Basically the decendents of the House negroes

Jack and Jill has little to do with elitism within African America. As I see it, it is about trying to maintain cultural integrity within largely white suburban communities. The families come from the ranks of the professional and college educated. To the degree that that is elitist, it is. But the purpsose is to instill pride and establish links among African American children where they might not always exist.

I grew up in a white suburb of Boston in the highly racist 1970's. Jack and Jill was a tool to keep me connected with other black kids. It was not the only vehicle for that purpose, and I certainly had contact with black kids throughout the spectrum of African America, but it was a great way to connect with other black kids - not only in my town - but from around the country.

I grew up in a depressed all-black area, and I was never exposed to anything like Jack & Jill. I doubt very seriously that I would ever raise children in an all-white area. However, if I ever did, I think Jack and Jill would be a great opportunity for them. I think anything that instills self-awareness in black children who are otherwise at risk of being disconnected is something I would support. To the extent that they may be somewhat "elitist," who cares? Why would that constitute a deal-breaker?

quote:

Originally posted by MBM:
Jack and Jill has little to do with elitism within African America. As I see it, it is about trying to maintain cultural integrity within largely white suburban communities. The families come from the ranks of the professional and college educated. To the degree that that is elitist, it is. But the purpsose is to instill pride and establish links among African American children where they might not always exist.

I didn't intend to imply anything overly nasty about Jack & Jill.

But, coming from the black working class like I do (and I'm also first generation college educated), dealing with 2nd and 3rd generation middle class black folk can be stressful - you are sometimes put off by a certain elitist strain - or at least tendency to take far more for granted than I do...

why would you live in an all white area, anyway, why not expose your children to all types of black kids , advantaged and disadvantaged. if you just put a bunch of yuppie kids together how does that help the community?

quote:

Originally posted by HonestBrother:

quote:

Originally posted by MBM:
Jack and Jill has little to do with elitism within African America. As I see it, it is about trying to maintain cultural integrity within largely white suburban communities. The families come from the ranks of the professional and college educated. To the degree that that is elitist, it is. But the purpsose is to instill pride and establish links among African American children where they might not always exist.

I didn't intend to imply anything overly nasty about Jack & Jill.

But, coming from the black working class like I do (and I'm also first generation college educated), dealing with 2nd and 3rd generation middle class black folk can be stressful - you are sometimes put off by a certain elitist strain - or at least tendency to take far more for granted than I do...

My wife has some older family friends here in Houston that fit all the stereotypes. They insists on the use of their titles in informal conversations, they love dropping names, pimping their Greek organizations, etc. To date, I find it all quite superficial. Unfortunately, my wife has already let me know that if we have kids, she wants them in these circles. I will just have to train my kids to be subversives.

quote:

Originally posted by ZAKAR:
why would you live in an all white area, anyway

Perhaps thats where your career takes you. I have worked at colleges in upstate New York, central Pennsylvania, and south central Michigan. That is the nature of those communities.

Honestly I have never head of Jack and Jill of America until I saw this thread. I am going to look it up on the internet. The comments have definitely been interesting to read.

I agree with the points that everybody has made. I grew up in the same way HonestBrother did working class family in a African American neighborhood and also first generation college educated.

Reminds me of a conversation I had with a female I was working with years ago. She went to a different high school then I did in Cincinnati. She said she loved the high school she gradauted from and was so glad that she did not go to a particular high school that she mentioned. She said everybody that went there were all hood rats she did not realize that she was talking about the high school that I graduated from! I quickly told her that I am not a hood rat and I am very educated!

I really dislike people who think that they are better than you because of certain circumstances. I am not saying that Jack and Jill of America is like that. I just think we as people should really be aware about trying not to put labels on each other.

quote:

Originally posted by TruEssence:

I just think we as people should really be aware about trying not to put labels on each other.

maybe apart of really caring about black people and the black community and living and spending your money withing those communities , just imagine if these so called elites used that capital to enhance our communities instead of trying to live with the Joneses, seems to me its all about the decisions people make. If you purposely decide to live in an area where people dont look like you, how do you tell your people you are down with them?

quote:

Originally posted by TruEssence:

Honestly I have never head of Jack and Jill of America until I saw this thread.

At least I'm not the only one here who hasn't got a clue what this thread is all about.

Could somebody please explain what Jack and Jill of America is?

quote:

Originally posted by ZAKAR:

If you purposely decide to live in an area where people dont look like you, how do you tell your people you are down with them?

You make the racist and perhaps self hateful presumption that all of "your people" live in the hood. Brother, they don't. You infer that to be 'truly black' you've got to be a certain type of person and live in a certain place. That seems to be a sort of 'ethnic elitism' that is as divisive as any other kind.

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Originally posted by MBM:

quote:

Originally posted by ZAKAR:

If you purposely decide to live in an area where people dont look like you, how do you tell your people you are down with them?

You make the racist and perhaps self hateful presumption that all of "your people" live in the hood. Brother, they don't. You infer that to be 'truly black' you've got to be a certain type of person and live in a certain place. That seems to be a sort of 'ethnic elitism' that is as divisive as any other kind.

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Originally posted by ricardomath:

quote:

Originally posted by TruEssence:

Honestly I have never head of Jack and Jill of America until I saw this thread.

At least I'm not the only one here who hasn't got a clue what this thread is all about.

Could somebody please explain what Jack and Jill of America is?

TruEssence and ricardomath, go to

http://www.jack-and-jill.org/

I love black people to death, Who said every black person is from the hood. Who said every black community is a Hood? there are some very nice viable black communities all over this country filled with black working,middle and upperclass blacks who purposely decided to live and spend their capital with their people