"He's the best thing to happen to our education in 350 years," a black professional said to me.

Never before has America had the opportunity to see so many black professionals at work.

It was difficult to write about black professionals because I'm always around them.

We are young black professionals and have never committed a crime in our lives.

"I know at least 35 black professionals who worked for the city and are now laid off," she said.

In recent years, a few older black professionals joined the scene.

Jake Jackson is a happy, positive young black professional who has a good job and a relationship.

Black professionals are also more likely to be first in their families to achieve middle-class status.

A25 Black professionals face obstacles to success, many blacks said in interviews.

I think a lot of black professionals face those same kinds of issues.