By: Ana Oglivie

First of all, WOW. The Personal Librarian is easily in my Top 5 books read list. It’s beautifully written and tells an intricate story with a bold message. If there’s ever a time to indulge in historical fiction, this is it. Benedict and Murray have curated their own blended voice to bring a dark but thrilling history to light.

A Little Background and Summary
The personal librarian’s Portuguese name is Belle Da Costa Green, but her colored name is Belle Marion Greener. Greener was a young girl from Washington D.C. born in 1879, just two years after the Reconstruction Era ended. Her maternal family, the Fleets, were an established African American family in D.C., and her father was the first colored student and graduate of the esteemed Harvard University. Raised in a family enriched by education, community, and a passion for equality, Belle was destined for greatness. But Greener’s world flipped when her mother decided to raise her children as white in New York City. Yet, Belle Da Costa Greene retained her early passion for literature and art long after her father departed to continue his stand for racial equality in America.

As a young, white-passing woman, her wit and expertise earned her the position as J.P. Morgan’s personal librarian for his precious Pierpoint Morgan Library. Green’s exceptional rising career became a living inspiration to other women of the early 1900s. And now it is an inspiration to many more. She publicly broke gender barriers while silently breaking society’s race constraint amid consequential times. Her white features never displaced who she was inside, instead, her heart and soul took her leaps and bounds beyond her peers. Belle’s story is unique. But not just because she curated a legendary collection of global literary arts for one of the most powerful men of her time. It’s the way she did it. The arts community spoke of her boldness in Europe, her charm and intelligence beseeched rooms full of men, and her unique features made her a curiosity. The Personal Librarian is a story of a woman who embodied personal courage, mastered a complex identity, and redefined many societal constructs.

“This woman, defined by her skin, the shade of a new penny, and by debilitating laws of segregation dividing our country and our people into two halves, seems proud that one of her own has wiggled free from the restraints inflicted upon some, like the chains that bound our ancestors…with the gift of the position I now hold, I am responsible to many more… The world I inhabit may not know that I am colored, but there will be some…who will discover my secret and I wish that my achievements will give them hope.”

Belle Da Costa Green in the The Personal Librarian, p.58

To fully appreciate the courage and boldness of Belle and why this story must be told and read, we should understand the consequences of passing during the Segregation Era.

1. There were grave consequences since passing as white was unlawful.
2. There was loss of family, of culture, and of community.

To learn more, read:

1. ‘A Chosen Exile’: Black People Passing In White America
2. Choosing Racial Identity in the United States: 1880-1940 by the National Bureau of Economic Research
3. The Library of Congress: The Segregation Era 1900-1939

I would ask the authors: What historical facts or details did you discover about the characters during your research but decided to leave out of the book for the sake of the plot?

10/10. Must Read. 5 Stars.

I hope you choose to check out The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray! And feel free to share stories, similar reads or your thoughts below.