Prince of Darkness

The Untold Story of Jeremiah G. Hamilton, Wall Street's First Black Millionaire

By: Shane White

Narrated by: John Lee

In the middle decades of the 19th century Jeremiah G. Hamilton was a well-known figure on Wall Street. He was reportedly the richest African American man in the United States, possessing a fortune of $2 million, or in excess of $250 million in today's currency.

In Prince of Darkness, a groundbreaking and vivid account, eminent historian Shane White reveals the larger-than-life story of a man who defied every convention of his time. He wheeled and dealed in the lily-white business world, he married a White woman, he bought a mansion in rural New Jersey, he owned railroad stock on trains he was not legally allowed to ride, and he generally set his White contemporaries' teeth on edge when he wasn't just plain outsmarting them. An important contribution to American history, Hamilton's life offers a way into considering, from the unusual perspective of a Black man, subjects that are usually seen as being quintessentially White, totally segregated from the African American past.

©2015 Shane White (P)2015 Tantor

Brilliant

Professor White is applauded for the revealing scholarship. I learned a great deal about Jeremiah Hamilton...I knew nothing before.

Worth listening to

Good work considering how few sources the author had to work with. Jeremiah Hamilton is worth learning about, and the book also describes race relations in New York City in the 19th century and brought up points I had never thought about. There are a couple of dry chapters detailing (perhaps too closely) some of Hamilton's court cases, but overall it's a good biography about someone that more people should be aware of.

Fascinating Story.

The research required to write this book was amazing. Put together with only public documents, it is very detailed and fascinating.

I really like the history of Black economic life in New York during Mr. Hamilton’s life. I learned as much from that history as from the story of Hamilton. The author was very clear when he was relating facts and when he was speculating. Filling in some of the details left blank by public records. This is one of the great untold stories in American history.

The Prince of Darkness

excellent! very well done. a revealing history of New York city. RIP Jeremiah G. Hamilton.

An Amazing Story

This book will really open your eyes to any thing is possible if we just believe it within ourselves. It's amazing he accomplished so much in this time period.