Episode #62: Black Gotham: Origins of Gilded Age New York’s Black Elite
Esteemed author and scholar, Dr. Carla Peterson joins The Gilded Gentleman to share her research and perspective on the growth and development of the prosperous black professional class throughout the nineteenth century up to the Gilded Age. Dr. Peterson’s work revealed a fascinating story that had up til then barely been told.
One of the most fascinating storylines in Season One of the HBO series “The Gilded Age” was that of young black writer Peggy Scott and her Brooklyn family.
Elements of the portrait we saw of Peggy’s father were based on scholar Dr. Carla Peterson’s own ancestral family. In her groundbreaking book, Black Gotham: A Family History of African-Americans in Nineteenth Century New York City, Dr. Peterson sheds light on how this community grew, how diverse the community actually was, and she provides insight into leading figures and their contributions often missing in standard accounts of the period. In this very special episode. Dr. Peterson discusses the path of her own research which ultimately revealed a richer, deeper sense of community and identity that many realized.
Carl is joined by special guest:
Dr. Carla Peterson, author of Black Gotham: A Family History of African-Americans in Nineteenth Century New York City
LISTEN NOW: Black Gotham: Origins of Gilded Age New York’s Black Elite
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Black Gotham: Origins of Gilded Age New York’s Black Elite