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Monday Open Thread: Passing

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GOOD MONDAY MORNIN, P.O.U.!

This week’s series will take a look at Black people who have passed for white. It was inspired by this NPR article posted last week by fellow trustee Miranda: ‘A Chosen Exile’: Black People Passing In White America

 

 Belle da Costa Greene

passing_belledecosta

Belle da Costa Greene (December 13, 1883 in Washington, D.C. – May 10, 1950 in New York City, New York) was the librarian to J. P. Morgan. After his death in 1913, Greene continued as librarian under his son, Jack Morgan. In 1924 the private collection was incorporated by the State of New York as a library for public uses, and the Board of Trustees appointed Greene first director of the Pierpont Morgan Library.[1]

Life and career

She was born Belle Marion Greener in Washington, D.C., and grew up there and in New York City. Her biographer Heidi Ardizzone lists Greene’s birth date as November 26, 1879. Her mother was Genevieve Ida Fleet, a member of a well-known African American family in the nation’s capital, while her father was Richard Theodore Greener, an attorney who served as dean of the Howard University School of Law and was the first black student and first black graduate of Harvard (class of 1870). After his separation from his wife (they never divorced), Greener became a U.S. diplomat posted to Siberia, where he produced a second family with a Japanese woman. Once Greene took the job with Morgan, she likely never spoke to her father again. She may have met him once in Chicago around 1913, but there are no letters or written proof. She burned all personal papers in her possession shortly before her death, while Richard was thought to have lost most of his in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.[2] A recent treasure trove of documents belonging to Greener was discovered in the attic of an abandoned house in Chicago, however, and early indications are that they will shed even greater light on Greener’s life.[3]

Richard T. Greener, father of Belle da Costa Greene
Richard T. Greener, father of Belle da Costa Greene

After her parents’ separation, the light-skinned Belle, her mother, and her siblings passed as white and changed their surname to Greene to distance themselves from their father. Her mother changed her maiden name to Van Vliet, apparently in an effort to assume Dutch ancestry, while Belle dropped her middle name in favor of da Costa and began claiming a Portuguese background to explain her dusky complexion. Eventually, she moved to Princeton, New Jersey, where she worked at the Princeton University Library.

Bernard Berenson, Ms. da Costa Greene's alleged boo.
Bernard Berenson, Ms. da Costa Greene’s alleged boo.

The financier J. P. Morgan had in 1902 engaged Charles F. McKim to build him a library to the east of his Madison Avenue brownstone as his collection already was too large for his study. To manage his collection he hired Greene as his personal librarian in 1905, having been introduced to her by his nephew, Junius, a Princeton student. Soon trusted for her expertise (she was an expert in illuminated manuscripts) as well as her bargaining prowess with dealers, Greene would spend millions of dollars not only buying but selling rare manuscripts, books and art. She has been described as smart and outspoken as well as beautiful and sensual. While she enjoyed a Bohemian freedom, she was also able to move with ease in elite society, known for her exotic looks and designer wardrobe. “Just because I am a librarian,” Greene reportedly announced, “doesn’t mean I have to dress like one.”

“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. (Photo: Princeton University)
“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. (Photo: Princeton University)

Not only did her bearing, style, and seemingly unlimited means attract notice, but “her role at the Morgan Library placed her at the center of the art trade and her friendship was coveted by every dealer.” The power that she wielded for 43 years was unmatched. She told Morgan – who was willing to pay any price for important works – that her goal was to make his library “pre-eminent, especially for incunabula, manuscripts, bindings, and the classics.”

J. P. Morgan left her $50,000 in his will, which at that time was a significant sum, reportedly $800,000 in modern money. Asked if she was Morgan’s mistress, she is said to have replied, “We tried!” She never married, however, and her most lasting romantic relationship was with the Renaissance Italian art expert Bernard Berenson.

Greene retired in 1948 and died in New York City two years later.

(SOURCE: Wikipedia)

 

Ms. de Costa Greene’s “exotic” appearance was always the subject of gossip in the art/high society world. Check out this 1934 letter from bookseller E.V. Maun to collector Morris Parrish about Ms. da Costa Greene:

March 27, 1934
Dear Mr. Parrish:
 
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.
 
Miss Bella da Costa Greene is fortyish with brown hair and wears horn-rimmed spectacles.  My first impression of her was that she looked bloated as if she had a touch of dropsy or perhaps drank too much, although she is not overly heavy and still not thin.  She has a bulbous nose (perhaps caught from the numerous photographs of her patron, many of which hang, stand and lie about her office) and her skin must be very swarthy, for, she wore white powder which made her look kind of speckled gray, like the negro you see pouring dusty cement into the mixers on building construction jobs.  She was dressed in a sort of classic garment of black velvet relieved here and there by bits of chartreuse lace.  She has short, stubby fingers and chews her nails—to the quick.
 
Miss Bella da Costa Greene was very gracious and made an appointment to see me at 11:30.  I was exceedingly flattered at my distinction when I heard her tell the operator upon several occasions that she was in conference with scholars and could take no calls.  She brought out the Dickens that had been offered and pronounced an anathema upon all collectors.
 
They decided one day that the 1884 book was the first and then decided that the 1883 was the first and why should she bother her head about all of this business anyway.  She did give you the distinction, however, of labelling [sic[ your books the best she had ever seen and they certainly were infinitely better than the ones she had.  Hers were badly faded and the bindings were somewhat battered.  Her 1883 copy was inscribed by Dickens on Dec. 17, 1893 and hence she could see no reason why anyone could see the 1884 book as a first and she was decidedly annoyed that any particular value was placed upon the Stave I—for such a little difference was of no specific import.
 
Miss Greene told me that she would like to see your library but that she could scarcely afford the time because she had to spend so much of her time with scholars.  She hesitated a long time before writing to you, because she felt it was somewhat presumptious [sic] but finally bolstered up the requisite nerve.
 
She detailed a man to show me through the library and I spent considerable time in the manuscript vault, looking over the Dickens, Collins, Byron, Browning, et al.
 
I stopped in yesterday to see the dealer, Edward L. Dean and looked over what he had.  His prices seemed quite fabulous and I doubt that there is much that would interest you.  It is well that you keep him at postage distance or he will talk an ear off you.  I went through his safe with him, heard all about his children’s croup and spent no more than 15 minutes there.  He professes to be a close friend of A. Edward Newton and accuses his friend of creating artificial values for books by the media of his writings in magazines, etc.  Dean also collected for Jerome Kern and says that Harry Smith has been taken to Arizona for his health.
 
I forgot to tell you that Miss Greene disapproves of your book covers and continued to protest about them even when I told her that they were used only to protect the books while I was transporting them.  She would also like to meet Mrs. Maun and have her see the library some time.
 
I hope that this report of your New York agent is adequate and withal, comprehensive.
 
And I do thank you for the perfect week-end.
 
Very truly yours,
Ernest V. Maun

(SOURCE: Princeton.edu)

 

Belle da Costa Greene's office (aka the Librarian's Office) at the Morgan House, located on Madison Ave. & 37th St. in NYC. (Photo: Morgan Library & Museum)
Belle da Costa Greene’s office (aka the Librarian’s Office) at the Morgan House, located on Madison Ave. & 37th St. in NYC. (Photo: Morgan Library & Museum)

 

For more on the fascinating life of Belle da Costa Greene, check out her biography, An Illuminated Life: Belle da Costa Greene’s Journey From Prejudice to Privilege by Heidi Ardizzone.

For info on The Morgan Library and Museum, click here.