Surprising Personalities: Belle Da Costa Greene. When writing a piece of historic fiction, one or more historic figures often end up in the mix. Writers research these people so that even in fiction they behave in a way consistent with what’s really known about them. And that presents a problem because sometimes historic figures turn out to be surprises; people far more accomplished, complex and interesting than we originally thought. And writers sometimes end up wishing that character could take a larger role in the story.
A good example is Belle da Costa Greene who was J.P.Morgan’s librarian. Belle da Costa Greene was hired by John Pierpont Morgan in 1905 to serve as his personal librarian on the recommendation of his nephew Junius Morgan. Greene, an expert in rare manuscripts was working at Princeton’s library at the time and was a colleague of the young Morgan. But there’s a lot more to Belle da Costa Greene’s story, much of which she herself hid from the world during her lifetime. Belle da Costa Greene Biography. When J. Pierpont Morgan founded his library in 1905, he engaged twenty-one-year-old Belle da Costa Greene as his librarian. She continued to serve in that position to the end of Morgan's life in 1913 and remained as librarian under his son J.
P. Morgan Jr. In 1924 Morgan gave over both ownership and administration of the library's collections and building to a board of trustees, and Greene was elected director of the library. She continued as such until her retirement in 1948, completing forty-three years of service and leadership to one of the great libraries of the world. The level of excellence attained by the Pierpont Morgan Library is due in no small measure to Belle Greene. Belle da Costa Greene was born in Alexandria, Virginia, on 13 December 1883, the daughter of Richard Greene and Genevieve Van Vliet Greene.
An Illuminated Life: Belle da Costa Greene's Journey From Prejudice to Privilege - Heidi Ardizzone - Books - Review. Museum - History of the Morgan - Belle da Costa Greene. Top of page © The Morgan Library & Museum, 225 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, (212) 685-0008 The programs of The Morgan Library & Museum are made possible with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
Background images: Photography by Todd Eberle unless otherwise noted. © 2006 Todd Eberle. Passing as Pragmatism: The Life of Belle da Costa Greene | The Defenders Online | A Civil Rights Blog. BELLE da COSTA GREENE, MORGAN'S LIBRARIAN (C) Dear Belle: Your legend goes far beyond color borders and crossed into history's archives as one of the most revered librarians.
You ascended upward into elite society and crossed the great divide as the triumphant African American personal librarian of the prestigious J.P. Morgan Library. At a time when even most white women were denied job opportunities or discouraged from pursing work outside of their home you carved out a remarkable career. The year was 1905 when J.P. In some people’s lives ‘luck’ plays an important card of good fortune, and that was the case with Belle ad Costa Greene. The opportunity presented itself and Morgan hired her as his personal librarian. Greene seems to have passed over the boundaries of the racial divide more for reasons of ambition and opportunity and made the Morgan Library her lifetime career. . With Morgan’s largesse, Greene’s unlimited means attracted attention as did her bearing and fashionable style of dressing. Even after J.P. THE MORGAN LIBRARY & MUSEUM CELEBRATES ASIA WEEK NEW YORK 2012. The Morgan Library & Museum is pleased to present a small selection of Chinese works of art to coincide with Asia Week New York 2012.
The exhibition will be on view from March 13 to March 27. Although known primarily for its outstanding European and American drawings, manuscripts, and rare books, the Morgan has, since its inception, also had a small Asian collection. This includes a fine group of Islamic manuscripts and single leaves, a selection of which was shown at the Morgan in fall 2011. In addition, the Morgan houses a small number of Buddhist texts from China, Japan, Thailand, and Tibet, as well as such little-known works of art as a head of a Bodhisattva from the cave shrines at Xiangtangshan. Pierpont Morgan, the museum’s founder, had a strong interest in Asian art, and he assembled a collection of some 1,400 Chinese ceramics, almost all of which were sold after his death and are now widely dispersed.
Discovery of first black Harvard grad's papers leads to as many questions as answers. By Stephanie Siek, CNN (CNN) – The story of Richard Theodore Greener is a book with many blank pages. The first African-American to graduate from Harvard University in 1870, he was one of the foremost black thinkers of his time, rising to prominence between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois and praised by both. Greener was the dean of Howard University's law school, a diplomat and also the University of South Carolina’s first black professor and head librarian. The recent discovery of some of Greener’s papers in Chicago could fill in some of those pages. One daughter of this book-loving man and advocate for racial equality would go on to become the most respected librarian of her era and an expert on medieval illuminated manuscripts – but not as a woman of color.
After separating from Fleet, Greener accepted consular appointments in Bombay (now Mumbai), India and Vladivostok, Siberia, but neither Fleet nor their children joined him. “One might say, ‘Well, he was passing for white.’ ‘It gives me gooseflesh’: Remarkable find in South Side attic. BY KIM JANSSEN Staff Reporter kjanssen@suntimes.com March 10, 2012 12:59PM Richard Theodore Greener (1844-1922), Harvard Class of 1870 storyidforme: 27016637 tmspicid: 9796850 fileheaderid: 4479723 • First African American to graduate from Harvard, in 1870. • Appointed professor of Philosophy, University of South Carolina, in 1873. • Admitted to practice law before Supreme Court of South Carolina, in 1876. • Made dean of Howard University School of Law, in 1879. • Helped elect several Republican presidents and in 1896 helped persuade the Republican Party to give an unqualified condemnation of lynching. • Appointed to work for the foreign service in Vladivostok, Russia, in 1898. • Awarded the Order of the Double Dragon for his services to China, in 1902.
Updated: April 12, 2012 9:54AM It wasn’t much more than a ghost house by the time Rufus McDonald got the call. The front door of the abandoned home near 75th and Sangamon was unlocked and swinging in the wind. Declined money on the spot. A Look at Belle da Costa Greene - Rare Book Collections @ Princeton. “Fifty Thousand Dollars for that Book!”
Color-printed illustration by Alexander Popini published on page one of The World Magazine (New York), May 21, 1911. Belle da Costa Greene, librarian of the Pierpont Morgan Library between ca. 1906 and 1948, began her library career at the Princeton University Library. She started in either 1901 or 1902, depending on the source consulted. Received tradition is that she was the protegé of Junius Spencer Morgan, associate librarian from 1897 to 1909, who, in turn, arranged for her employment by his uncle, financier J. Little documentary evidence of her work at Princeton remains, however, in the files of collector Morris Parrish (1867-1944) is the following 1934 letter from bookseller E.V. March 27, 1934 Dear Mr. At 11:30 this morning, I delivered the books to Miss Bella da Costa Greene and attach herewith a receipt for them, given at her instance and by her hand because she had visions of being snipped off by a taxicab when she went to lunch.