The Senator and the Socialite : The True Story of America's First Black Dynasty
Author(s): Lawrence Otis Graham
“A cohesive picture of an extraordinary figure. . . . The issues raised by Bruce’s life and career resonate today, making Graham’s book not just a history but a revealing commentary on race and class, and on their inordinately powerful force in shaping our lives today.”—Chicago Tribune
Spanning more than a century, Lawrence Otis’s illuminating biography is a fascinating look at race and class in America, witnessed through the life of Blanche Kelso Bruce—the head of America’s first black dynasty and the first black U.S. senator. Otis reveals how Bruce rose from slavery to achieve power and prestige in the aftermath of the Civil War. With his wife, the daughter of a prominent Philadelphia physician, he would break social and racial barriers—a legacy continued by their children until scandal destroyed the family’s wealth and stature. Filled with triumph and tragedy, Otis’s riveting book brings into focus an important yet little-known segment of our nation’s past.
Review(s):
“Graham’s research is impressive and comprehensive.…this compelling story shows how the American Dream can transmute into the American nightmare.”
“Informative…many striking tales. Mr. Graham is right to want to bring the story to a reading public.”
“Graham’s fluid prose paints an absorbing picture.”
“THE SENATOR AND THE SOCIALITE offers a compelling portrait of the Bruce family’s rise, dynamics and downfall…A poignant tale of struggle, accomplishment…and an illuminating account of American racism.”
“A rare, detailed glimpse into politics, race, and class in post-Reconstruction America.”
“Few authors or journalists probe with more specificity and irony the dynamic of race and class than Lawrence Otis Graham....An entertaining, intriguing and sometimes amazing story of personal mobility and ambition. Provides thorough and solid historical detail, political analysis and cultural discussion. Without diluting the prose, downplaying the negatives or weakening the story, Graham presents a vital, previously underreported tale of glory, achievement and eventual disappointment.”
“Graham paints a compelling portrait of the important role Bruce played in the country’s history.”
“Graham...recovers the history of a family that broke barriers in Washington and at Exeter and Harvard. At the same time, he offers a devastating view of the compromises it made.
“A compelling portrait of the Bruce family’s rise, dynamics and downfall…A poignant tale of struggle, accomplishment…and an illuminating account of American racism.”
“A cohesive picture of an extraordinary figure…The issues raised by Bruce’s life and career resonate today, making Graham’s book not just a history but a revealing commentary on race and class, and on their inordinately powerful force in shaping our lives today.”
ISBN: 9780060985134