The Morgan Library's quest to honor a matriarch in archiving

Summary

Summary of NPR's "Consider This" Episode: The Morgan Library's Quest to Honor a Matriarch in Archiving

In this compelling episode of NPR's Consider This, listeners are introduced to the remarkable story of Belle da Costa Green, a pioneering librarian whose legacy continues to shape the Morgan Library and Museum in New York. The episode delves into Green's life, her groundbreaking work in librarianship, and the personal challenges she faced as a Black woman navigating a highly segregated America.

---

Introduction: A Real-Life Gilded Age Tale

The episode opens with a vivid portrayal of Belle da Costa Green's ascent in the elite social circles of Gilded Age New York. Host Ailsa Chang sets the stage by likening Green's life to a movie plot, emphasizing her role as an influential figure and her collaboration with one of America's wealthiest men.

Ailsa Chang [00:00]: "In Gilded Age New York, a glamorous, self-possessed young woman becomes an influential figure in wealthy social circles... But this story is true."

Belle da Costa Green: A Trailblazing Librarian

Erica Chilella, curator for A Librarian's Legacy exhibit at the Morgan Library, is introduced as a key voice in recounting Green's contributions. Chilella highlights Green's unique position in American librarianship as one of the few women and Black individuals in the field during her time.

Erica Chilella [00:23]: "Belle Green is the most fascinating librarian in American history... she was a trailblazer."

Chang provides historical context, explaining the origins of the Morgan Library and Green's pivotal role in its development. Appointed as the librarian in 1905 and later as the director in 1924, Green was instrumental in curating the library's esteemed collection of medieval writings, rare books, and illuminated manuscripts.

Ailsa Chang [00:43]: "...the Morgan was originally intended to house J.P. Morgan's personal collection. That's thanks in large part to Belle da Costa Green."

Passing as White: Navigating a Segregated Society

A significant portion of the episode explores Green's personal life, particularly her decision to pass as white in a segregated America. Chang and Chilella discuss the societal pressures and dangers that influenced Green's choice, shedding light on the broader racial and gender challenges of the era.

Ailsa Chang [02:23]: "A library was an unusually prominent role for a woman at the turn of the last century. And it would have been unheard of for a Black woman. But this woman chose to pass as white to survive."

Chillella reveals that the decision to pass was a family strategy, led by Green's mother, Genevieve. This choice was made to navigate the harsh realities of racial segregation and to secure professional opportunities that would otherwise be inaccessible.

Erica Chilella [06:11]: "The decision to pass was actually a family choice and it was really spearheaded by her mother... she really saw the struggles of what it meant to be African American in this country."

Professional Excellence and Legacy

Despite the personal sacrifices, Green excelled professionally. She was known for her meticulous cataloging and her vision of a library accessible to all, not just the elite. Chilella emphasizes Green's forward-thinking approach, advocating for the public accessibility of the library's resources long before it became a common practice.

Erica Chilella [08:15]: "She really believed that everyone should have access to these materials, not just the super wealthy. And that is a testament to her legacy."

Green's influence extends beyond her tenure at the Morgan Library. Her dedication to making rare and valuable collections available to scholars has left an indelible mark on the library community, promoting the idea that libraries serve as vital public spaces for education and discovery.

Conclusion: Celebrating Belle da Costa Green's Impact

As the episode wraps up, Chang expresses anticipation for the ongoing exhibits and encourages listeners to explore A Librarian's Legacy to gain a deeper appreciation of Green's contributions. The episode honors Green's resilience and vision, highlighting her as a cornerstone in the history of librarianship and an inspiring figure in the fight for equal access to knowledge.

Ailsa Chang [08:56]: "I can't wait to check this out."

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Ailsa Chang [00:00]: Introduction to Belle da Costa Green's influential role in Gilded Age New York.
• Erica Chilella [00:23]: Description of Green as "the most fascinating librarian in American history."
• Ailsa Chang [02:23]: Highlighting the rarity of a Black woman leading a prominent cultural institution at the time.
• Erica Chilella [06:11]: Explanation of Green's decision to pass as white as a family strategy.
• Erica Chilella [08:15]: Affirmation of Green's belief in accessible public libraries.

---

Takeaways

• Pioneering Leadership: Belle da Costa Green broke racial and gender barriers to lead one of America's most prestigious libraries.

• Legacy of Accessibility: Her vision ensured that the Morgan Library remained a place where knowledge is accessible to all, shaping modern librarianship.

• Personal Sacrifice: Green's choice to pass as white underscores the personal costs of navigating systemic racism during her time.

• Enduring Impact: The Morgan Library's continued celebration of her legacy serves as a testament to her indelible contributions to the field.

This episode of Consider This not only illuminates the life of a remarkable woman but also invites listeners to reflect on the ongoing importance of inclusivity and accessibility in educational institutions.

Transcript

[Ailsa Chang]

In Gilded Age New York, a glamorous, self possessed young woman becomes an influential figure in wealthy social circles, known throughout the city. Photographed by the press, she works with one of the richest men in the country, collecting some of the world's rarest books and manuscripts for his personal collection. Sounds kind of like the plot for a movie, right? But this story is true.

[Erica Chilella]

Belda Costa Green is a singularity. Belle Green is the most fascinating librarian in American history, Belle Greene. And her story can teach us so much. She really has an important legacy within the history of librarianship because she was one of the few women in this field. She's really someone who, in every sense of the word, was a trailblazer.

[Ailsa Chang]

You might not know that name, Belle da Costa Green, but the Morgan Library and Museum in New York is trying to change that. The library was originally built by J. Pierpont Morgan, one of the richest and most powerful bankers in the early 20th century. It was originally intended to house J.P. morgan's personal collection. Today it houses a one of a kind collection of medieval writings, rare books, and illuminated manuscripts. That's thanks in large part to Belle da Costa Green. She became the librarian for the collection in 1905, and in 1924 was appointed director of the Morgan Library.

[Erica Chilella]

Oh, influential. I mean, it's. We could go on forever with, I mean, everything she touched and created.

[Ailsa Chang]

Erica Chilella is a curator for A Librarian's Legacy, a new exhibit that's part of the Morgan's 100th anniversary celebrations. It traces Belle DaCosta Greene's life and her lasting impact on the role of libraries as public spaces for everyone, not just the educated elite.

[Erica Chilella]

Our exhibition programs, our lecture programs, our collections that we do today, we can trace it all back to her becoming director and believing that this institution could be one of a kind in the world and a place for scholars everywhere to come and look at these amazing materials. And she really was looking for one of a kind items, which is what sets our collection apart, because she really was like, I want the best of the best. And that sometimes meant looking outside of what was popular. And she knew exactly what would make this collection and this building become a site.

[Ailsa Chang]

Consider this heading. A library was an unusually prominent role for a woman at the turn of the last century. And it would have been unheard of for a black woman. But this woman chose to pass as white to survive in a highly segregated America. From npr, I'm Ailsa Chang.

[Unknown Sponsor Voice]

This message comes from NPR sponsor the Capital One Venture X card. Earn unlimited 2x miles on everything you buy plus, get access to a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel. What's in your wallet? Terms Apply details atcapital1.com this message comes from NPR sponsor Saatva, maker of quality handcrafted mattresses. Founder and CEO Ron Rudsen shares one of their core values.

[Erica Chilella]

At Saatva, we believe sleep does unlock a superpower. When you wake up and you're totally refreshed, you go after things more. And it all starts with being on the right mattress. And that's what Saatva has been inspired by from the day that we started.

[Unknown Sponsor Voice]

To learn more, go to.

[Erica Chilella]

Joe Biden's on his way out, Donald Trump's on his way back. Want to know what's happening as the presidential transition is underway? The NPR Politics Podcast has you covered with the latest news and analysis. Listen to the NPR Politics Podcast.

[Ailsa Chang]

It's consider this from NPR. New York's Morgan Library and Museum turns 100 years old this year. Part of the celebration is an exhibit that focuses on the life of the Morgan's first librarian and first director, Belle da Costa Green. In the early 1900s, it was unusual for a woman to lead one of the city's most prominent cultural institutions. And what makes her story even more interesting, Belle da Costa Green was a black woman who passed as white her entire professional career. Erica Chilella is an exhibit curator for A Librarian's Legacy at the Morgan Library, and she joins us now. Welcome.

[Erica Chilella]

Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to talk about Belle Green.

[Ailsa Chang]

Oh, well, we're so excited to have you. So just explain, first of all, like, how did Belle DaCosta Green come to be associated with the Morgan Library in the first place?

[Erica Chilella]

Yeah. So she just was working as a librarian at Princeton University and caught the attention of a gentleman by the name of Junius Morgan, who was an associate librarian there and just happened to be the nephew of Pierpont Morgan, who was at this time in the city wondering what to do with his amazing collection. He had already start to collect and was unfortunately just kind of everywhere in his home. And he decided to build a library next door to his townhouse on Madison, and he needed a librarian to run it. And Junior said, I think I have the perfect person for you, and brought Belle Green up from Princeton back to New York, where she had been living and gone to school and everything. And the interview went amazingly, as we can all imagine. And in 1905, she began working for Pierpont Morgan as his librarian, cataloging his collection and eventually stewarding this Amazing building that we have and are celebrating still today.

[Ailsa Chang]

I love that. I want to talk a little bit about her personal story because Greene, I mean, she was a black woman, but she didn't live her life publicly as a black woman. She chose to pass as white. Can you talk about that? Like, why she felt she had to do that? How did she do that? Please tell me more.

[Erica Chilella]

Yes, of course. I mean, the decision to pass was actually a family choice and it was really spearheaded by her mother, Genevieve, who not only made the decision for all of Greene and her siblings to pass, but did it fairly early on when Greene was still in school. She had lived in Washington, D.C. she had lived previously in South Carolina and really saw the struggles of what it meant to be African American in this country, what it was like during Reconstruction in the South. And so she really kind of knew that in order to move forward, sometimes you have to do what you have to do.

[Ailsa Chang]

Did anyone ever suspect that she was not white? Do you know of any incident, any confrontation?

[Erica Chilella]

We do know that, like newspaper reporters always wouldn't notice her complexion. They would always point out her dark hair or her wild hair or the darker skin color.

[Ailsa Chang]

Her wild hair.

[Erica Chilella]

Wow. She had a 10 volume set of diaries. And she does burn these before she passes away. But we do have a letter she wrote to the art historian Bernard, Bernard Berenson, where she said that that is where she wrote things down that she dare not even think to herself. So what that means, unfortunately, we're never gonna know. But I mean, it's gotta have been a struggle. And I mean, it's actually incredible that she was made director as a woman. Yeah, I mean, most directors of these kinds of institutions were not women at this time either. So she had, you know, there's not only the racial issues she was up against, but the gender ones as well. I mean, she become very shortly after women gained the right to vote. So, I mean, this is really an important time in American history to think of what women's rights in general were at this time and how much she was saying, I'm not going to conform to these ideals. I'm going to be my own person.

[Ailsa Chang]

That's so cool. How would you characterize her larger legacy outside of the Morgan Library? Looking back on all of this, she.

[Erica Chilella]

Really believed in accessing a collection, being able to use a collection, that it shouldn't just sit on a shelf, that she really, really wanted people to interact with that. And that's something that librarians today hold dear. But it wasn't the trend back then. And she really was a trailblazer for a special collection being used and not just something pretty you look at, but what can we learn from it? How do we access it? And that everyone she really believed that everyone should have access to these materials, not just the super wealthy. And I think that is really a testament to her and the legacy she leaves behind to a much more larger library community.

[Ailsa Chang]

I can't wait to check this out. Erica Chilella, an exhibit curator for A Librarian's Legacy, the Morgan Library's exhibit on its first ever director and librarian, Belle D. Thank you so much for speaking with us. Erica.

[Erica Chilella]

Thank you for having me.

[Ailsa Chang]

This episode was produced by Jordan Marie Smith and Katherine Fink. It was edited by Jeanette Woods. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun. And thanks to our Consider THIS plus listeners who support the work of NPR journalists and help keep public radio strong. Supporters also hear every episode without messages from sponsors. Learn more at plus.NPR.org It's Consider this from NPR. I'm Ailsa Chang.

[Ira Glass]

This is Ira Glass of this American Life. Each week on our show, we choose a theme, tell different stories on that theme. All right, I'm just going to stop right there. You're listening to an NPR podcast. Chances are you know our show. So instead, I'm going to tell you we've just been on a run of really good shows lately, some big, epic, emotional stories and some weird, funny stuff, too. Download us this American Life.

[Ailsa Chang]

Okay, so does this sound like you you love NPR's podcasts. You wish you could get more of all your favorite shows, and you want to support NPR's mission to create a more informed public. If all that sounds appealing, then it.

[Ira Glass]

Is time to sign up for the NPR plus bundle.

[Ailsa Chang]

Learn more at plus.NPR.org Want to hear this podcast without sponsor breaks? Amazon prime members can listen to Consider this sponsor free through Amazon Music. Or you can also support NPR's vital journalism and get consider this [e-mail] that's plus.NPR.org.