The Original Black Elite: Daniel Murray and the Story of a Forgotten Era

An exceptional chronicle of the life of one family, their brilliance, tenacity, and courage in the era that morphed into the Jim Crow status imposed on Africa Americans for the ensuing seven decades. The lives of the Murrays and their friends, though elegantly elite was still separate from the Anglo Saxon establishment in the Nation's capital. Nonetheless, despite their struggles they made significant contributions to educational and literary institutions as we know them today. Elizabeth Taylor has presented well researched facts unknown to many and important to read.

I’m a Native Washingtonian, and took DC History in high school as a requirement for graduation. I’ve walked the streets of the District, ridden its subways and buses and driven through its pathways and neighborhoods, virtually coast to coast. And I learned more from the reading of this book about African-American history, and about myself as the beneficiary of the efforts Daniel Murray and his wife, Anna, than I did in that entire year. And that’s not an insult to my professor—for he was dynamic and excellent in his own right.This book entirely refutes the idea of black impoverishment or incapability as the dominant bent of the culture in its entirety.Elizabeth Dowling Taylor is a scholar and offers her insights and observations in a powerful epilogue as well.Cover to cover, it’s a not just a great read. It’s an essential read.

This very informative book tells a part of history that has not been adequately told. Daniel Murray was able to use his connections to become a Deputy Librarian at the Library of Congress, and then use that position as his base to build a national reputation while becoming the leading member of the Black Elite in Washington DC. This sets up perspective for the devastating effects of President Wilson's re-introduction of segregation and purging of the black elite in Washington. One needs to know this story in order to understand the politics and social scene in Washington today.

This is a portrait of an era of US history, a period of time that has been largely overlooked by many scholars and authors but one that is important to our fuller understanding of our nation.Follow Daniel and Anna Murray as they make a life in Washington, D.C. during a very crucial period in the US. And sadly, witness the rise of Jim Crow and white supremacy.I found the book to be truly enlightening; a must-read for anyone wishing for a better understanding of Washington's history and the foundational contributions made by so many great black Americans.

I really liked reading the few pages that I could. The book was delivered on a rainy day and was saturated with water. It was not well packaged! I sent it back and hoped that it would be replaced. I never received a replacement but was refunded. I will reach out to the seller and suggest that the book is packaged waterproof! Overall it's an excellent book!

The original Black Elite in Washington D.C. and elsewhere all strived to better their place life and show white America that they belonged and deserved to exercise the rights granted them in the Constitution. Many were highly educated or held important positions or had talents that white America would not accept after Reconstruction. But, in spite of their struggle they kept refusing to accept rejection and black people today are better for it. So, never forget the struggle others endured to make life better for us and help make life better for the next generation.

I gained a lot of knowledge from this book. I enjoyed reading it. It is over 400 pages long.

no dislikes

The author simply does not know how to write an interesting and compelling story especially in the case of an African American in post civil war America. It was like reading the minutes of a civil organization. Endless detail about luncheons and dinners. Little if anything about what the major characters thought and felt. As a piece of social history it is a failure.