An Illuminated Life
June 23rd, 2007Recently released biography:
An Illuminated Life: Belle da Costa Greene’s Journey from Prejudice to Privilege
“Ardizzone’s competent, complimentary biography explains the complicated, glamorous woman who transcended her lack of formal higher education and obfuscated her race to become head of the Pierpont Morgan Library and confidante of the financial mogul who founded it. Belle Green (1879–1950), the daughter of a civil rights activist who was the first African-American man to graduate from Harvard College, was plucked by J.P. Morgan’s nephew Junius Morgan from the Princeton Library in 1905, where she had developed a passion for the rare pre–15th-century illuminated manuscripts that were to become the basis of her work for Morgan.”
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September 24th, 2007 at 6:31 am
This a not a memoir or autobiography. Althoug there are many details it’s not from Belle Green. Also I really don’t think she would have wanted this book to be published. Because od slavery, with white males impregnating african females it’s sort of embarrassing To find a light skinned african american female that assimulated into the white race and society. I don’t think white people back then truly saw her as white. Belle’s father did not look white To african american he looked like an everyday light skinned african american black man. Belle did not look white nor was she very beautiful.Cute when young When trying to so call whiten your race eventually you’ll see african american or african features come out That is one reason she may not have had children. Even generations later you’ll see even in a greatgrand, full lips, dark skin, course hair, broad nose. This also works vice versa. Two brown skin people may have light skinned children or wavy hair or narrow nose or hazel eyes or blondish hair etc.
Athough is was a nice biography it was not Belles autobiography. I don;t think she at all proud of coming to New York and changing her heritage.
Lewis and Clark were considered as white slaves because of their complexion. During Belle’s time mixed race people had a hard time in the south. I think that Belle and her family would be embarrassed by this book in 2007.