The Elite of Our People: Joseph Willson’s Sketches of Black Upper-Class Life in Antebellum Philadelphia

This book should be on the shelf of every public library and most homes. It provides a rare look at a complex segment of the African American people. It offers a more realistic view at the depth of American culture for those who are not satisfied with the veneer found in too many popular history books.

This was another interesting perspective of the African American upper class from one of their own. It is worth the read. It is worth noting that some parts of the book read very slowly.