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New York’s Gilded Age Black Elite (Encore)

Some overlooked history of the 19th century -- the story of Black life and social class in New York City.

Episode 98 of the The Gilded Gentleman podcast, hosted by Carla Peterson, Carl Raymond, titled "New York’s Gilded Age Black Elite (Encore)" was published on February 24, 2026 and runs 60 minutes.

February 24, 2026 ·60m · The Gilded Gentleman

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Some overlooked history of the 19th century -- the story of Black life and social class in New York City.

Dr. Carla Peterson, author of “Black Gotham: A Family History of African Americans in Nineteenth Century New York,” has been a pioneer in uncovering and sharing the story of New York’s wealthy Black entrepreneurial elite through the Gilded Age. 

Exemplified by the storyline of Peggy Scott and her family in the HBO series “The Gilded Age,” this story adds dimension and richness to a society that was far more diverse than it had ever been portrayed. 

As part of our celebration of Black History Month, we offer an ENCORE of Carla’s episode on The Gilded Gentleman. 

This episode was edited and produced by Kieran Gannon.


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