Belle de Costa Greene

Belle de Costa Greene worked as the personal librarian of J. P. Morgan from 1904 to 1913 and was instrumental in building his renowned collection of rare books, manuscripts, and art. After Morgan's death, Greene continued as librarian for his son, Jack Morgan, and in 1924 was named the first director of the Pierpont Morgan Library where she continued until her retirement in 1948. Her association with Morgan and his trust in her keen understanding of rare and valuable materials made her a sensation in both the art world and New York Society. Throughout her storied career, however, she maintained a secret. Though she passed for white, she was African American.

Born as Belle Marion Greener, she was the daughter of Genevieve Ida Fleet, a music teacher and member of a prominent African American family in Washington, DC, and Richard Theodore Greener, the first African American graduate of Harvard and a noted civil rights activist, diplomat, and lawyer. During her adolescence, Greene’s parents separated. Her mother changed their name to Greene and moved with the children to New York where they were light-skinned enough to pass as white. To explain her complexion, Greene claimed Portuguese ancestry and to that end added de Costa to her name.

Greene came to work for J.P. Morgan in her twenties after she was recommended by Morgan’s nephew who knew Greene during her time working at the Princeton University Library. She not only managed and organized the collection but was given great latitude in acquiring more items and developing the scope of the library’s holdings. She was a trail blazer of the time, breaking into a word dominated by men and transforming expectations. As an article in the New York Times (April 7, 1912) explained, “The ancient librarian is always pictured as having a gray beard and as wearing a skull cap. But here is one with a vivacious laugh, with brown eyes and rosy cheeks, who speaks delectable French, and who picks up a musty tome as gracefully as a butterfly alights on a dusty leaf. And she has individual ideas – ideas which her force of persuasion and her intelligence will eventually develop, backed as she is with Mr. Morgan’s wealth.”

Although she was a librarian of a private collector, she advocated that rare materials should be accessible to the scholars and the public rather than hidden away. She eventually was able to do this, transforming the Morgan private collection into a public resource that included exhibitions, lectures, publications, and research services that continue to this day at what is now the Morgan Library & Museum.

Greene’s advocacy also extended into the librarian profession, calling for better compensation for female workers in the New York City public libraries. In article in the New-York Tribune (November 22, 1913), Geene stated, “Few people realize what a remarkable lot of girls the librarians are. They have to know everything, from ancient history to both sides of socialism. They have to be girls of pleasing personality, of gentle birth, and unfailing patience. Yet they are paid only $40 a month - less than stenographers get."

One area in which she could not serve as an advocate was with respect to race. In an era when racial prejudice was pervasive, Greene had to conceal her heritage to gain access to opportunities that would have been otherwise denied to her. Her story sheds light on the complex intersectionality of race, gender, and opportunity in the early 20th century, emphasizing the sacrifices individuals made to break barriers. Despite the challenges and the choices she made, Belle de Costa Greene's legacy endures. Recognizing her achievements during Black History Month is an opportunity to reflect on the broader historical context and acknowledge the complexities faced by African Americans in the pursuit of professional success.

If you would like to learn more about Belle de Costa Greene, please check out the 2024 Dubuque Country Reads book The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray currently on our Black History Month display on the third floor. Then join us for a book discussion on Tuesday, April 9, at 4pm in the MARC Third-Floor Commons.