The Senator and the Socialite - Softcover

Graham, Lawrence Otis

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0061120790 ISBN 13: 9780061120794

Publisher: Harper, 2006

Synopsis

This is the true story of America's first black dynasty. The years after the Civil War represented an astonishing moment of opportunity for African-Americans. The rush to build a racially democratic society from the ruins of slavery is never more evident than in the personal history of Blanche Kelso Bruce and his heirs.

Born a slave in 1841, Bruce became a local Mississippi sheriff, developed a growing Republican power base, amassed a real-estate fortune, and became the first black to serve a full Senate term. He married Josephine Willson, the daughter of a wealthy black Philadelphia doctor. Together they broke racial barriers as a socialite couple in 1880s Washington, D.C.

By befriending President Ulysses S. Grant, abolitionist Frederick Douglass, and a cadre of liberal black and white Republicans, Bruce spent six years in the U.S. Senate, then gained appointments under four presidents (Garfield, Arthur, Harrison, and McKinley), culminating with a top Treasury post, which placed his name on all U.S. currency.

During Reconstruction, the Bruce family entertained lavishly in their two Washington town houses and acquired an 800-acre plantation, homes in four states, and a fortune that allowed their son and grandchildren to attend Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard University, beginning in 1896.

The Senator's legacy would continue with his son, Roscoe, who became both a protege of Booker T. Washington and a superintendent of Washington, D.C.'s segregated schools. When the family moved to New York in the 1920s and formed an alliance with John D. Rockefeller Jr., the Bruces became an enviable force in Harlem society. Their public battle to get their grandson admitted into Harvard University's segregated dormitories elicited the support of people like W. E. B. Du Bois and Franklin D. Roosevelt, and broke brave new ground for blacks of their day.

But in the end, the Bruce dynasty's wealth and stature would disappear when the Senator's grandson landed in prison following a sensational trial and his Radcliffe-educated granddaughter married a black Hollywood actor who passed for white.

By drawing on Senate records, historic documents, and the personal letters of Senator Bruce, Josephine, their colleagues, friends, children, and grandchildren, author Lawrence Otis Graham weaves a riveting social history that spans 120 years. From Mississippi to Washington, D.C., to New York, The Senator and the Socialite provides a fascinating look into the history of race and class in America.

About this title

Review:

"Graham expertly breaks down historical events." -- Entertainment Weekly

"Graham digs deep and unearths secrets in.his absorbing book on money, class and color issues." -- Essence

"Informative.many striking tales. Mr. Graham is right to want to bring the story to a reading public." -- Wall Street Journal

"Graham expertly breaks down historical events."--Entertainment Weekly

"In another piece of powerful nonfiction, Lawrence Otis Graham returns to the shelves with The Senator and The Socialite."--Ebony

"Provides thorough and solid historical detail, political analysis and cultural discussion. Entertaining, intriguing and sometimes amazing story."--Book Page

"This book opens the door to a rich, though frustrating, period in the country's past."--New York Post

"Excellent history of slavery, Reconstruction, post-Reconstruction, late 19th century politics and the misunderstood differences between early Republicans and Democrats."--San Francisco Chronicle

"Graham's strength is his intricate deliniation of class, color, culture and social climbing."--USA Today

"Graham is a superb storyteller, and the Bruce dynasty perfect fodder for this gifted writer."--Amsterdam News

About the Author:

The author of fourteen books, including the New York Times bestseller Our Kind of People, and a contributing editor for Reader's Digest, Lawrence Otis Graham's work has also appeared in the New York Times, Essence, and The Best American Essays. He lives with his wife in Manhattan and Chappaqua, New York.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0061120790
• ISBN 13: 9780061120794
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 816