About the Book
When Sylvia Brown’s father handed much of his inheritance to Brown University in 1995, the gesture maintained a 300-year family philanthropic tradition. Less than a decade later, at the inaugural symposium of the University’s Steering Committee on Slavery and Justice, one speaker declared “there were no good Browns.” Grappling With Legacy was born of the juxtaposition between these starkly opposed perspectives.
Against Rhode Island’s distinctive backdrop, this family saga mirrors America’s evolving urge to do good, providing fresh perspectives on times surprisingly akin to the present.
Praise for Grappling With Legacy
What keeps venerable old families together?
They are, after all, only as strong as the roots that bind them.
Read full article in The New York Times here.
“This is a fascinating and intellectually honest work about a remarkable family that has played a major role in the history of Providence and Rhode Island. Sylvia Brown has made a tremendous contribution in writing this wonderful book.”
– Vartan Gregorian
President of Carnegie Corporation of New York,
Former President of Brown University
“A splendid work of history—an honest, clearly written, and solidly based account of the private and public lives through four centuries of one of America’s most important and fascinating families.”
– Gordon Wood
Pulitzer Prize for History,
Alva O. Way University Professor and Professor of History Emeritus – Brown University
February 2018
An important takeaway from the book is the crucial role of family legacy. Legacy obviously has a financial dimension, but many families of wealth, particularly those who have lived through several generations and grown substantially in both wealth and numbers, have come to believe that focusing on finances actually more often than not misses the point. Read full review here.
October 2017
At each step of the way, connections are made between family bonds, philanthropic choices, and changing perceptions of social good and its impact. The result is a powerful survey not just of the Brown Family’s choices, but of the evolution of philanthropy in the country as a whole. Grappling with Legacy should be on the reading lists of any American history class regardless of their proximity to Rhode Island. Read full review here.
Review of GoLocalProv-LIVE interview, July 7th, 2017
Great interview! It’s about time someone said something good about the Browns. The family goes back to the time of Roger Williams when Chad Brown ministered from Providence’s First Baptist Church pulpit. Today’s Brown University faculty and staff have nothing good to say about their major benefactor, Nicholas II, or any of the Browns before him. Samuel Slater, the “Founder of American Industry,” was brought to Rhode Island and, financed by the Browns, set up his mill in Pawtucket. Fact is, without the Browns, Europeans coming to these shores wouldn’t have jobs. No matter what you hear about the mills and other Brown family enterprises, newcomers were grateful to have jobs. Many Brown descendents, who could have easily bought their way out of the fight, volunteered and fought for the Union in the Civil War. Two died, one fell at Antietam, the other as a result of four years asea defending coastal blockades.
Yes, this should be a book worth reading, perhaps the first of many correcting what we have learned about this most significant Rhode Island family.
Meet Sylvia Brown
Author, Sylvia Brown, is the eldest of the 11th generation of the Browns of Rhode Island. Learn more about Sylvia, and meet her at an upcoming event.
Events
April 28, 2018
The Newport Symposium, The Jane Pickens Theatre, Newport RI 2:00 pm
Panel discussion on family collections
April 5, 2018
Emmanuel Church and The Newport Historical Society
At Emmanuel Church, Dearborn Street, Newport, RI 7:00 pm
March 14, 2018
The Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston MA 5:30pm
In conversation with Dr Edward Widmer, historian
February 24, 2018
The Peacedale Public Library, South Kingston, RI
February 20, 2018
The John Hay Library, Brown University
February 12, 2018
The University Club’s Women’s Forum – Providence, RI
January 6, 2018
The CCC Alliance – The Algonquin Club, Boston MA
November 13, 11:00
BizTalk Radio Network– The Frankie Boyer Show, nationally syndicated
November 7, 2018
WPHM-AM/Port Huron MI, the Paul Miller Show
Listen to the interview here
November 2, 5:30-8:00
The Colonial Dames – Rhode Island Chapter
In the Nightingale-Brown House
November 2, 7:10 am
WTBQ-AM/FM/Warwick NY, the Frank Truatt Show
Listen to the interview here
October 26, 10:00
WGTD-FM/Wisconsin– Public Radio affiliate – Greg Berg’s morning show
October 22, 7:00 am
WIP-AM/FM/Philadelphia PA, Conversations with Peter Solomon
Listen to the interview here
October 20, 5:30-7:30
“Why We Give” – The John Carter Brown Library
See photos of the event here
October 19 – Washington, DC
National Center for Family Philanthropy – 20th anniversary conference
See photos of my stand in the “Authors’ Corner”
October 18, 5:30-7:00
The Redwood Library & Atheneaum, Newport, RI
See photos of event here
October 18, 1:30
KQV-AM/Pittsburgh PA, Afternoon News with Paul Guggenheimer
KQV-AM/Pittsburgh PA, Afternoon News with Paul Guggenheimer
October 10, 1:00
School for Startups Radio– taped with Jim Beach, nationally syndicated
October 5-8, Boston
The Renaissance Weekend
October 2, 6:30-8:300
Book signing, Buck’s Club, London See photos of the event
October 2, 4:00
Pacifica radio -WPFW-FM/Washington DC with Gloria Minott, “Community Watch and Comment” Listen to the interview
September 19, noon
Purposeful Planning Institute Webinar “High-Engagement Philanthropy: Lessons from an Eleven Generation Philanthropic Family”
September 12, 5:30-7:00
Rhode Island Chapter of the National Italian American Women’s Organization – at the Providence Atheneaum
August 25, 5:30-7:00
Fisher’s Island Public Library
See photos of the event
August 1, 2017
Rhode Island NPR– live interview
http://ripr.org/post/view-ri-history-through-one-prominent-family-grappling-legacy
July 6, 3:30
GoLocalProv LIVE! – Live interview
(watch on www.golocalprov.com)
June 27, 5:30-7:00
Lecture: “Grappling With All Our Legacies”
The Rhode Island Historical Society – Aldrich House
110 Benevolent Street Providence, RI 02906
May 27 & 28
Book Signing at Brown University
The Brown University Bookstore
Providence, RI
August 1, 2017
Rhode Island NPR– live interview
http://ripr.org/post/view-ri-history-through-one-prominent-family-grappling-legacy
July 6, 3:30
GoLocalProv LIVE! – Live interview
(watch on www.golocalprov.com)
June 27, 5:30-7:00
Lecture: “Grappling With All Our Legacies”
The Rhode Island Historical Society – Aldrich House
110 Benevolent Street Providence, RI 02906
May 27 & 28
Book Signing at Brown University
The Brown University Bookstore
Providence, RI
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