Belle da Costa Greene: The Secret Behind the Spotlight

When we were debating names for our ThinkHer platform, we tossed around several ideas, 'Steminist' being one of them. At the time, we thought our work would center on women in science and technology. But as we began researching, we kept stumbling upon women who had transformed their worlds through knowledge, resistance, creativity, and care—a trail of complex, brilliant women who expanded our curiosity beyond any single field. That’s why we chose the name "ThinkHer"—to open up space for the many ways women have shaped the world, often in silence, often erased, but always with intention.

Belle Greene’s 1915 portrait at home; Paul Thompson photo for a news story on NYC high-salaried women. Courtesy: Getty/Bettmann.

We read about Fatima al-Fihri, who founded the world’s first university, and Savitribai Phule, who fought relentlessly for women’s right to education in 19th-century India. Each story expanded our vision and reminded us that brilliance takes many forms—across time, place, and discipline. It was in this spirit that we discovered Belle da Costa Greene, a woman whose story not only challenged but also enriched that vision.

In the early 20th century—a time when men held most positions of authority—Greene emerged as a formidable force in the world of rare books. She was a celebrated rare book agent and curator, and went on to become the first director of the Morgan Library. At the height of her career, she earned $10,000 a year—roughly $280,000 today—while most librarians made around $400.

But it wasn’t just her position or salary that stood out. Greene built one of the most important collections of rare books and manuscripts in the United States. She transformed the Morgan from an exclusive private archive into a dynamic public institution. The exhibitions, lectures, publications, and research services she introduced laid the foundation for the Morgan’s enduring cultural role.

And then there’s the part of her story that both complicates and deepens her legacy. Born Belle Marion Greener, she was the daughter of Genevieve Ida Fleet Greener and Richard T. Greener—the first Black graduate of Harvard College and a prominent educator, diplomat, and racial justice activist. She grew up in a predominantly African American community in Washington, DC, where her mother, a musician and educator from a distinguished Black family, raised her. After her parents separated, Genevieve made a decision that would shape Belle’s future: she changed their surname to Greene, and from that point on, Belle began passing as white. By the time Belle was a teenager, she was already navigating a world that demanded both erasure and reinvention for survival especially in a society so defined by segregation and systemic racism that it would have denied her the access, authority, and recognition she ultimately attained.

Greene’s professional journey began at Princeton University Library, where she worked in cataloging. There, she caught the attention of Junius Spencer Morgan—an avid bibliophile and nephew of financier J. P. Morgan. He recommended Greene to his uncle just as Morgan’s grand $2 million library building in New York City was nearing completion.

In 1905, Belle Greene was hired as J. Pierpont Morgan’s private librarian. From the outset, she worked with notable independence. She was a shrewd negotiator, known for her ability to drive hard bargains with rare book dealers across Europe. Fluent in several languages and deeply knowledgeable about the origin and authenticity of rare works, Greene commanded respect in a male-dominated field. She often leveraged her expertise and charm to secure extraordinary acquisitions, expanding Morgan’s personal collection of rare books, illuminated manuscripts, and fine art. She curated public exhibitions, fostered relationships with international dealers and scholars, and brought a distinct scholarly and aesthetic sensibility to the collection. Working alongside her assistant, Ada Thurston, Greene also introduced professional cataloging standards that helped elevate the library’s reputation in academic and collector circles.

As the Morgan Library gained increasing public attention—with its acquisitions frequently featured in newspaper arts and culture sections, and items loaned to institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art—Belle da Costa Greene’s influence quietly but powerfully expanded. Her role went far beyond administration: she was shaping one of the most significant rare book and manuscript collections in the United States, while subtly guiding its transformation from a private archive into a public cultural institution. In 1924, following the formal transition of J. P. Morgan’s private collection into a public entity renamed "The Pierpont Morgan Library", Greene was appointed its first director. During her tenure, she made lasting scholarly contributions, including identifying forged works by the so-called “Spanish Forger.” She remained at the helm until her retirement in 1948, having spent over four decades turning the Morgan into a world-renowned repository of knowledge and art.

Known for her sharp mind as well as her sense of style, she once remarked, “Just because I’m a librarian doesn’t mean I have to dress like one”—a line that captured both her defiance of expectations and her flair for reinvention. Greene’s fashion sense became a part of her public persona—elegant gowns, fur coats, and her famously extravagant hats. Outside the quiet halls of the library, she thrived in New York’s social circles, attending operas, art openings, and parties with the city's elite. Her presence was as magnetic on the cultural scene as it was in the rare book world, blurring the lines between intellect and glamour. 

Greene never married, but her life was far from solitary. Her mother, Genevieve, lived with her for many years. Greene also took an active role in raising her nephew, Robert Mackenzie Leveridge, who was born in her home. Her close professional relationship with J. P. Morgan became the subject of much public curiosity—especially after he left her $50,000 in his will (over $1.6 million today), a remarkable sum that spoke to her influence and the trust he placed in her. The bequest only fueled rumors of a romantic connection, to which Greene responded with her characteristic wit: “We tried!” Beyond the speculation, she also shared a long and affectionate bond with Bernard Berenson, the celebrated Italian Renaissance art historian, reflecting a life rich in both intellectual and emotional companionship.

Her story ends with an act as deliberate as the life she lived. On May 10, 1950, Belle da Costa Greene died of cancer at St. Luke’s Hospital in New York City. Before her death, she destroyed most of her personal correspondence and records—carefully erasing the traces of her racial identity to preserve the version of herself that the world had embraced. It is this intricate blend of intellect, ambition, strategy, and survival that makes Greene's story so compelling. Her decision to live as a white woman, after growing up with exceptional social capital for a person of color at the time, continues to blur the boundaries between ethics, opportunity, and self-preservation.

Her story also reminds us that behind every institution, innovation, or archive, there are women whose legacies demand to be re-seen, re-heard, and re-thought. In 2024, the Morgan Library marked the centenary of its public opening with a landmark exhibition honoring Greene—finally giving her the recognition she long shaped but never publicly claimed.

Written and edited by Janaky S. and Parvathy Ramachandran.

References: 

1. https://itsnewstoyou.me/2025/05/01/belle-da-costa-greene-at-the-morgan/

2. https://www.themorgan.org/exhibitions/belle-da-costa-greene

3. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/12/23/belle-da-costa-greene-art-review-morgan-library

4. https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2022/02/belle-de-costa-greene/