A cohesive picture of an extraordinary figure. . . . The issues raised by Bruces life and career resonate today, making Grahams book not just a history but a revealing commentary on race and class, and on their inordinately powerful force in shaping our lives today.Chicago Tribune

Spanning more than a century, Lawrence Otiss illuminating biography is a fascinating look at race and class in America, witnessed through the life of Blanche Kelso Brucethe head of Americas first black dynasty and the first black U.S. senator. Otis reveals how Bruce rose from slavery to achieve power and prestige in the aftermath of the Civil War. With his wife, the daughter of a prominent Philadelphia physician, he would break social and racial barriersa legacy continued by their children until scandal destroyed the familys wealth and stature. Filled with triumph and tragedy, Otiss riveting book brings into focus an important yet little-known segment of our nations past.