****WARNING LONG POST*****
So this thread was inspired by a thread made about a year ago which I found interesting about rapper Prodigy's family tree and how he is a descendant of one of the founders of Morehouse College:
Prodigy's family tree is CRAZY
Wanted to make a similar but different thread trying to find the most powerful black American families (outside of the Obamas), how their fortunes were made, the current members of their families, and their contributions to the black community (if any). It would be great if posters can post families from their own cities. This is not restricted to old money black families but can include black sports and entertainment dynasties as well.
A few points though-
1) Want to keep this thread positive.
2) Yes, many of these families are members of the Boule.
3) Let's refrain from opinions about skin tone and whether one would consider these families "black". History books have already recognized them as such and your opinion is not changing that neither how they self-dentified.
I'll go first and start with a family from my own city.
Chicago
It was always said by my people that the most powerful black woman in America was from Chicago. In fact, her family may be the most powerful black family in all of America.
Cool fact: Her name isn't Oprah.
Word around town is that Valerie Bowman Jarrett, leveraging both her personal and family's network got Barack Obama into the White House. Which is why Obama, knowing her value, appointed her Senior Advisor to the President. She was the longest serving advisor to Obama. Many Washingtonians were jealous of her access and power. She was essentially the "power behind the throne."
A few comments taken from articles written about her -
“She is the single most influential person in the Obama White House,” said one former senior White House official, who like many would speak candidly only on condition of anonymity.
Those whom she deems to have failed Mr. Obama tell of scolding late-night calls and her trademark accusation of betrayal: “You are hurting the president.”
“He’s got a real mess in the West Wing,” said one close presidential adviser. “Valerie is effectively the chief of staff, and he knows, but he doesn’t know. She’s almost like Nancy Reagan was with President Reagan, but more powerful.”
She was known as the "Night Walker" for being the only staff person having access to the Obamas after hours.
Valerie is a member of the extended Taylor/Bowman/Jarrett/Dibble/Cook/Dugas Clan of Chicago, Tuskeegee, and Washington DC.
The family patriarch was Robert Robinson Taylor b.1868 (Valerie's Great Grandfather), who was the first black man to graduate from MIT. He was the son of a former slave that was freed by his slave-owning white father.
Robert Taylor became the first accredited black US architect and was responsible for designing Tuskeegee University.
Robert Taylor's son - Robert Rochon Taylor (Valerie's Grandfather), also an architect, became the Chairman of the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA). He attended Howard University and the University of Illinois.
It is Robert Rochon Taylor for whom the infamous Chicago housing projects were named after:
The Robert Taylor Homes
Valerie's Parents -
Robert Rochon's daughter, Barbara Taylor Bowman attended the University of Chicago Lab Schools and Sarah Lawrence College. She is acknowledged as being a pioneer in the area of early childhood development and is the co-founder of the Erickson Institute.
Valerie's father, Dr. James E. Bowman, attended Howard University and Howard Medical School whose father, James Sr., was a well known black Washingtonian dentist. Dr. James Bowman was an internationally recognized expert on pathology, inherited blood diseases and population genetics. He became one of the first tenured professors at the University of Chicago and was also a powerful advocated for black students trying to enter into the field of medicine. He also did work in Iran where he founded the first hospital in the city of Shiraz.
Valerie married William Robert Jarrett who was the son of another powerful black Chicago family. He was the Director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Jackson Park Hospital.
His father was Vernon Jarrett, one of Chicago's most influential journalist and commentator on race, politics, and African American History. Jarrett was the founder of the National Association of Black Jounalist (NABJ).
Valerie and Rob Jarrett had one daughter - Laura Jarrett. Laura went to UofC Lab School, Amherst, and Harvard Law. She worked for White Shoe law firm Mayer Brown. But she's currently a reporter for CNN.
Laura Jarrett (@LauraAJarrett) | Twitter
Laura and I are around the same age. Had an uncle that lived in her same nabe as her family and I would see her riding around in a drop top benz, hair blowing in the wind. Had me like.
Laura married her Harvard Law schoolmate - Tony Balkisoon, who worked for White Shoe Law firm Sidley Austin.
He is the son of a Canadian MPP Cabinet member - Bas Balkisoon.
This is just Valerie's immediate family. The extended Dibble/Cook/Taylor/Jarrett/Dugas Clan get's even more interesting and powerful and their ties to Washington DC Politics and Wall Street more extensive.
So this thread was inspired by a thread made about a year ago which I found interesting about rapper Prodigy's family tree and how he is a descendant of one of the founders of Morehouse College:
Prodigy's family tree is CRAZY
Wanted to make a similar but different thread trying to find the most powerful black American families (outside of the Obamas), how their fortunes were made, the current members of their families, and their contributions to the black community (if any). It would be great if posters can post families from their own cities. This is not restricted to old money black families but can include black sports and entertainment dynasties as well.
A few points though-
1) Want to keep this thread positive.
2) Yes, many of these families are members of the Boule.
3) Let's refrain from opinions about skin tone and whether one would consider these families "black". History books have already recognized them as such and your opinion is not changing that neither how they self-dentified.
I'll go first and start with a family from my own city.
Chicago
It was always said by my people that the most powerful black woman in America was from Chicago. In fact, her family may be the most powerful black family in all of America.
Cool fact: Her name isn't Oprah.
Word around town is that Valerie Bowman Jarrett, leveraging both her personal and family's network got Barack Obama into the White House. Which is why Obama, knowing her value, appointed her Senior Advisor to the President. She was the longest serving advisor to Obama. Many Washingtonians were jealous of her access and power. She was essentially the "power behind the throne."
A few comments taken from articles written about her -
“She is the single most influential person in the Obama White House,” said one former senior White House official, who like many would speak candidly only on condition of anonymity.
Those whom she deems to have failed Mr. Obama tell of scolding late-night calls and her trademark accusation of betrayal: “You are hurting the president.”
“He’s got a real mess in the West Wing,” said one close presidential adviser. “Valerie is effectively the chief of staff, and he knows, but he doesn’t know. She’s almost like Nancy Reagan was with President Reagan, but more powerful.”
She was known as the "Night Walker" for being the only staff person having access to the Obamas after hours.
Valerie is a member of the extended Taylor/Bowman/Jarrett/Dibble/Cook/Dugas Clan of Chicago, Tuskeegee, and Washington DC.
The family patriarch was Robert Robinson Taylor b.1868 (Valerie's Great Grandfather), who was the first black man to graduate from MIT. He was the son of a former slave that was freed by his slave-owning white father.
Robert Taylor became the first accredited black US architect and was responsible for designing Tuskeegee University.
Robert Taylor's son - Robert Rochon Taylor (Valerie's Grandfather), also an architect, became the Chairman of the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA). He attended Howard University and the University of Illinois.
It is Robert Rochon Taylor for whom the infamous Chicago housing projects were named after:
The Robert Taylor Homes
Valerie's Parents -
Robert Rochon's daughter, Barbara Taylor Bowman attended the University of Chicago Lab Schools and Sarah Lawrence College. She is acknowledged as being a pioneer in the area of early childhood development and is the co-founder of the Erickson Institute.
Valerie's father, Dr. James E. Bowman, attended Howard University and Howard Medical School whose father, James Sr., was a well known black Washingtonian dentist. Dr. James Bowman was an internationally recognized expert on pathology, inherited blood diseases and population genetics. He became one of the first tenured professors at the University of Chicago and was also a powerful advocated for black students trying to enter into the field of medicine. He also did work in Iran where he founded the first hospital in the city of Shiraz.
Valerie married William Robert Jarrett who was the son of another powerful black Chicago family. He was the Director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Jackson Park Hospital.
His father was Vernon Jarrett, one of Chicago's most influential journalist and commentator on race, politics, and African American History. Jarrett was the founder of the National Association of Black Jounalist (NABJ).
Valerie and Rob Jarrett had one daughter - Laura Jarrett. Laura went to UofC Lab School, Amherst, and Harvard Law. She worked for White Shoe law firm Mayer Brown. But she's currently a reporter for CNN.
Laura Jarrett (@LauraAJarrett) | Twitter
Laura and I are around the same age. Had an uncle that lived in her same nabe as her family and I would see her riding around in a drop top benz, hair blowing in the wind. Had me like.
Laura married her Harvard Law schoolmate - Tony Balkisoon, who worked for White Shoe Law firm Sidley Austin.
He is the son of a Canadian MPP Cabinet member - Bas Balkisoon.
This is just Valerie's immediate family. The extended Dibble/Cook/Taylor/Jarrett/Dugas Clan get's even more interesting and powerful and their ties to Washington DC Politics and Wall Street more extensive.
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. That's American history of course but.......
serious side eye for Dr Dibble and the Tuskegee experiments tho
