Talented Tenth

proper noun

A leadership class of African-Americans in the early 20th century, typified by one in ten black men thought to have educated themselves and become involved in social change.

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Meanings

proper nounthe Talented Tenth
  1. historicalA leadership class of African-Americans in the early 20th century, typified by one in ten black men thought to have educated themselves and become involved in social change.

Origin

The term was coined by White Northern philanthropists, then publicized by W. E. B. Du Bois in an influential essay of the same name, which he published in September 1903.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Talented Tenth. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Talented%20Tenth

MLA

“Talented Tenth.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Talented%20Tenth. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Talented Tenth,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Talented%20Tenth.

Source: Talented Tenth on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.