In the midst of Black History Month and with the recent swearing-in of the first African American as Vice President, Trenette Wilson (“Lady T”), etiquette expert and social historian, agrees that Americans have much to celebrate, from these modern triumphs to those long-forgotten heroes in our history. She has announced the release of her all-new history book, Royal, Black and Elite: A Tribute to Nobility and the Pioneers of Etiquette in Black History, and a virtual “royal” tour.
“Did you know that blacks were royalty and part of elite society throughout America and the world? Way before ‘Bridgerton’ there were royals like, Duke Alessandro di’ Medici, Florence, Italy’s only duke of African descent, Josephine Beall Willson Bruce, America’s first black socialite, and Maxine Powell who served as Motown’s ‘Maven of Etiquette’ and many others. They worked tirelessly on critical issues such as abolition, the right to vote, and equality in business. That is why I wrote Royal, Black and Elite, a new book featuring the profiles of 26 little-known nobles, black elites, and wealthy businesspeople from the 3rd Century to the 1900s. These were real people that paved the way for us today,” she continued.
