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The Colored Aristocracy of St. Louis
In 1858, Cyprian Clamorgan wrote a brief but immensely readable book entitled The Colored Aristocracy of St. Louis. The grandson of a white voyageur and a mulatto woman, he was himself a member of the "colored aristocracy." In a setting where the vast majority of African Americans were slaves, and where those who were free generally lived in abject poverty, Clamorgan's "aristocrats" were exceptional people. Wealthy, educated, and articulate, these men and women occupied a "middle ground." Their material advantages removed them from the mass of African Americans, but their race barred them from membership in white society. The Colored Aristocracy of St. Louis is both a serious analysis of the social and legal disabilities under which African Americans of all classes labored and a settling of old scores. Somewhat malicious, Clamorgan enjoyed pointing out the foibles of his friends and enemies, but his book had a serious message as well. "He endeavored to convince white Americans that race was not an absolute, that the black community was not a monolith, that class, education, and especially wealth, should count for something." Despite its fascinating insights into antebellum St. Louis, Clamorgan's book has been virtually ignored since its initial publication. Using deeds, church records, court cases, and other primary sources, Winch reacquaints readers with this important book and establishes its place in the context of African American history. This annotated edition of The Colored Aristocracy of St. Louis includes an introductory essay on African Americans in St. Louis before the Civil War, as well as an account of the lives of the author and the members of his remarkable family—a family that was truly at the heart of the city's "colored aristocracy" for four generations. A witty and perceptive commentary on race and class, The Colored Aristocracy of St. Louis is a remarkable story about a largely forgotten segment of nineteenth-century society. Scholars and general readers alike will appreciate Clamorgan's insights into one of antebellum America's most important communities.
136 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 29, 2014
This little gem I found while doing research for my current novel. For anyone researching American history, this is an eye opener and an incredible resource for further reading.
A third of the book is prepping the history you are about to read. This is done remarkably well by Ms. Winch; her subject is as complicated and complex as any family tree history.
A third of the book then is actually C. Clamorgan's narration of the "colored aristocrats" of St Louis in the mid-1800. He opens with his purpose of the book and his own idea of people of color as the antithesis to the then, most popular, Uncle Tom's Cabin by Stowe. So we follow Clamorgan around town and meet people - where they live, where they work, their financial status (which helps to define them as the "first level" of society), and then personal commentary by Clamorgan regarding each one. In a way, it is a gossip column and is entirely the author's subjective account.
But in another, it is far deeper. It is a familial history of a people who were, before the Louisiana Purchase, in their own culture, living an American history that was as old as Williamsburg. There were mixed race families living in a French/Spanish colony and had done for hundreds of years. Slaves lived in vicinity with free Blacks. Blacks lived next to whites lived next to "mulattos" lived next to Indians. Family ties reached across racial barriers and people of color and those who were not, shared the same parental lineage openly. I'm not saying here there was not a divide, but the line of division was far, far blurrier than how we learn it to be when we cover American history in school.
The last third is devoted to the annotations, which refer back to Clamorgan's text. They are there to help and guide his references. Much needed for sure.
It is very interesting to me that the narrative of the United States tends not to include much of what was in the Western lands before they became part of the United States. We, as Americans, tend to have one story of how we rose and from whom and each other's worth in that history. In reality, we are far more complex than we give ourselves credit for. This book is a great example of just how complex.
A third of the book is prepping the history you are about to read. This is done remarkably well by Ms. Winch; her subject is as complicated and complex as any family tree history.
A third of the book then is actually C. Clamorgan's narration of the "colored aristocrats" of St Louis in the mid-1800. He opens with his purpose of the book and his own idea of people of color as the antithesis to the then, most popular, Uncle Tom's Cabin by Stowe. So we follow Clamorgan around town and meet people - where they live, where they work, their financial status (which helps to define them as the "first level" of society), and then personal commentary by Clamorgan regarding each one. In a way, it is a gossip column and is entirely the author's subjective account.
But in another, it is far deeper. It is a familial history of a people who were, before the Louisiana Purchase, in their own culture, living an American history that was as old as Williamsburg. There were mixed race families living in a French/Spanish colony and had done for hundreds of years. Slaves lived in vicinity with free Blacks. Blacks lived next to whites lived next to "mulattos" lived next to Indians. Family ties reached across racial barriers and people of color and those who were not, shared the same parental lineage openly. I'm not saying here there was not a divide, but the line of division was far, far blurrier than how we learn it to be when we cover American history in school.
The last third is devoted to the annotations, which refer back to Clamorgan's text. They are there to help and guide his references. Much needed for sure.
It is very interesting to me that the narrative of the United States tends not to include much of what was in the Western lands before they became part of the United States. We, as Americans, tend to have one story of how we rose and from whom and each other's worth in that history. In reality, we are far more complex than we give ourselves credit for. This book is a great example of just how complex.
November 12, 2025
An underutilized resource. This account of successful blacks (and people of mixed race that were considered non-white) indicates an almost parallel system of aristocratic, middle, and poor people of color emulating the same de de facto class system in white society. Slight of detail, this tiny tome still provides an interesting assessment of the life of minorities in pre-Civil War Missouri, with anecdotal descriptions of relations between the whites and minorities in St. Louis.
May 30, 2015
I used this book for research but think it would be of interest to anyone curious about the evolution of race relations in this country and/or the effect of slavery and discrimination on African American society. Cyprian Clamorgan provides us with first person insight into the social hierarchy that developed around the African American community in St. Louis in response (or resistance?) to white domination and oppression. Julie Winch provides excellent context to the material, offering correlations to other texts and additional information. The book addresses two main themes: the struggle for legitimacy (or recognition as someone equal to your average white male) and identity. Cyprian Clamorgan reveals his own questionable criteria for evaluating who does or does not qualify as an "aristocrat" or, as he puts it, "an upper class colored person." Underlying the evaluation process is another theme: the African American wishing to be acknowledged as an equal in white society must possess not only wealth, property, and position, they must also be of the highest moral character, requirements that aren't rigidly inflicted on the average white person. These tales bring home how hard blacks worked for acknowledgement and how much they were will to sacrifice, including identity, to achieve that legitimacy. The book also gives us an insight into the complexity of life in St. Louis in the mid-nineteenth century. It was truly a battleground between America's past and future, between democracy and oppression, and a place of constant conflict.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews