A remarkable book by New York Times bestselling authors Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray about Belle da Costa Greene, the Black American woman who served as J. P. Morgan's personal librarian and was forced to conceal her race and pass for white in order to leave a lasting legacy that enriched our country. J. P. Morgan appoints Belle da Costa Greene, then in her thirties, to curate a selection of priceless manuscripts, books, and works of art for his brand-new Pierpont Morgan Library. As she contributes to building a world-class collection, Belle establishes herself as a fixture in New York City society and one of the most influential figures in the art and book worlds. She is renowned for her perfect taste and deft negotiation for important pieces. But Belle is guarding a secret that she must never reveal. Belle Marion Greener, not Belle da Costa Greene, was her birth name. She is the offspring of equality activist and the first Black Harvard graduate Richard Greener. Belle's skin is dark because she is African American, not because of her purported Portuguese ancestry, which allows her to pass for white. The Personal Librarian tells the tale of a remarkable woman known for her intelligence, flair, and wit. It also reveals the extent she must go to, for the sake of her family and her legacy, in order to maintain her carefully cultivated white identity in the racist society she lives in.