Lawrence Otis Graham facts for kids

Lawrence Otis Graham (born December 25, 1961 – died February 19, 2021) was an American lawyer and a best-selling author. He wrote many non-fiction books, especially about the lives of African Americans and how different groups of people live in America.

Early Life and Education

Lawrence Otis Graham grew up in New York. His grandparents owned a trucking company in Tennessee. His father worked in real estate in New York.

He went to White Plains High School. After that, he studied English at Princeton University. He then went to Harvard Law School and became a lawyer in 1988.

Career as a Lawyer and Author

Lawrence Otis Graham was a lawyer for big companies and also worked with real estate. He became a very successful author, writing 14 non-fiction books. These books were about important topics like politics, education, and how different groups of people live in America.

His writings appeared in famous magazines and newspapers. These included The New York Times, Reader's Digest, and Glamour.

Popular Books

One of his most famous books was Our Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper Class. This book was a bestseller and later became a TV show on the Fox network.

Another important book was The Senator and The Socialite. This book tells the story of Blanche Bruce, the first black person to serve a full term in the U.S. Senate.

Graham also wrote books about diversity in the workplace. These included The Best Companies for Minorities and Proversity: Getting Past Face Value.

His book Member of the Club was very well-known. In this book, Graham shared his experience of working undercover as a busboy. He did this at a fancy country club that treated people unfairly based on their background.

Media Appearances and Teaching

Graham often appeared on TV shows like Today Show and Good Morning America. He also shared his political views weekly on News 12 in Westchester.

He was a part-time teacher at Fordham University. There, he taught about African American history and American government.

Community Involvement

Lawrence Otis Graham was involved in many community groups. He was the chairman of the Westchester County Police Board. He also served on the boards of the Red Cross and the Boy Scouts of America. He helped lead many other important organizations too.

Political Campaign

In 2000, Lawrence Otis Graham ran for a seat in the United States House of Representatives. He challenged the person who already held the seat, but he did not win the election.

Personal Life

Graham was married to Pamela Thomas-Graham, who was a business executive. They lived in Manhattan and Chappaqua, New York. They had three children together. He was a Catholic.

Death

Lawrence Otis Graham passed away on February 19, 2021, in Chappaqua, New York. He was buried at Ferncliff Cemetery.

Books by Lawrence Otis Graham

Graham's books often explored the idea of how different groups of people are organized in society, especially within the African-American community.

• The Senator and the Socialite: The True Story of America's First Black Dynasty (2006) – This book tells the true story of a family that rose from slavery to power. It focuses on Blanche Bruce, who was born a slave in 1841. He became very wealthy and was the first black person to serve a full term in the U.S. Senate. He and his wife, Josephine Willson, were a famous couple in Washington, D.C. They hosted important people like President Ulysses S. Grant. Bruce later held important government jobs.

• Our Kind of People: Inside America's Black Upper Class (1999) – This book explores the world of the black upper class. It talks about fancy parties, nice homes, and special clubs like The Links and Jack and Jill. It was the first book written about this group by someone who was part of it. A TV show based on this book started in 2021.

• Proversity: Getting Past Face Value (1997)

• Member of The Club: Reflections on Life in a Polarized World (1995) – This book brought Lawrence Otis Graham national attention. It shares his experience of leaving his job as a lawyer to work undercover as a busboy. He did this at a famous country club in Connecticut that treated people unfairly based on their race or gender. A part of this book was featured on the cover of New York Magazine.