By: Adjoa Boateng

“I prayed to the stars and I changed
my stars/ I went to the malls and I
balled too hard/ Oh my God is that
a black card? / I turned around and
replied, “why yes”/ But I prefer the
term African-American Express”
–Kanye West, “Last Call” (2003)

“I know you’re thirsty, ma/Go ahead
and order whatchu want/Some
call it trickin’, go ahead and call it
whatchu want/I came to ball, I ain’t
come out here to front/Cause the
black card will pick-up what the
gray card won’t” -Nelly, “Flap Your
Wings” (2004)

When American Express executives were informed of a rumor circling among its Platinum cardholders, they decided to capitalize on it. The buzz within this elite group was that there existed a mysterious credit card completely void of any spending limit. In October of 1999, a new line of credit, the Centurion™ card, was released for its members whose annual charge had been an astounding $150,000 or more. The card was developed to service those members, “who travel frequently, entertain often and value personalized service.”

At the launch party for this elite card, James Bush, Senior Vice President of Consumer Marketing, stated, “We created the Centurion Card in response to customer research that identified a small but affluent group of card members for whom individual attention and access to previously unavailable elite travel benefits was of great interest.”

This “Black Card,” as it is commonly called for its dark gray and black shading, is obtained by invitation only and cannot be applied for. It arrives in the mail, or perhaps on a doorstep, in a big, black, velvet-lined box, often accompanied by both a guard and mini-computer to tally the total amount spent on the recipient’s new card. Detailed information about the Centurion Card is extremely concealed, allowing American Express to maintain the mystique surrounding it.

The card’s annual fee is exorbitant ($2,500). But with personal shoppers, round-the-clock travel counselors, and automatic seat upgrades on the nation’s top fifteen airlines, the Black Card benefits are practically endless for those who have been invited into this 5,000-member worldwide group. Black Cardholders have no spending limit—the world is their mall. The card offers free overnight accommodations at Mandarin Oriental and Ritz-Carlton hotels and resorts and exclusive shopping benefits at places such as Bergdorf Goodman, Ferragamo, DKNY, Escada, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.

In addition to these general perks, the Centurion card also offers the privilege of access to almost any item one could desire in the world—whether on sale or not! One cardholder, for example, wanted to locate and purchase the horse Kevin Costner rode in Dances with Wolves. With the card, he was able to locate the horse in a stud ranch in Mexico, purchase it and have it delivered to Europe overnight. Black Card legend has it that a mother once requested a handful of sand from the Dead Sea for her child’s school project on the Holy Land. By virtue of her exclusive membership, American Express dispatched someone by motorcycle to the shores of the Dead Sea to obtain the sand, which was then couriered to the woman in London. Clearly, the American Express “Black Card” is the ultimate status symbol.

Among the one-percent of Platinum cardholders who have been invited to join
the Black Card lifestyle are celebrities Jerry Seinfield, Sean “P.Diddy” Combs, Tiger Woods, Russell Simmons, Jennifer “J.Lo” Lopez, and Denzel Washington.

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