What's the phrase about how the top 10% of African-American need to succeed to make good example for the rest?

Question

I can't remember if it's by w.b. dubois or not.

Answer 1

The "Talented Tenth" ?

Answer 2

STUDY, WORK,SAVE,INVEST
My father died when I was six and my sister one. Then our bank failed. We lived for years on four hundred dollars per year. My mother did not seek charity and refused charity. She taught us the above. I did as she said. Decades later I am not in the lowest one per cent but the highest one per cent, despite handicaps and hard luck. Others can do the same.