Stephen Girard: Captain of American Enterprise and Philanthropy (Routledge Historical Americans)

This book is the first systematic scholarly analysis of Stephen Girard’s views on race, gender, class, and enslavement, connecting the details of Girard’s life with litigation surrounding his estate and school. By the time Girard died, the merchant-banker was one of the wealthiest men in the United States.He shocked the people of his adopted city and nation by posthumously devoting his fortune to philanthropic projects-most notably the construction of a charity school for White orphan boys.For nearly two hundred years, Girard’s name has been mired in controversy because of his last will and testament, which became the centerpiece of numerous legal battles.With narrative sophistication and probing analysis, this book combines a succinct overview of Girard’s life with much-needed context for making sense of his decisions and legacy.In doing so it further addresses controversial topics in the modern U.S. public sphere-freedom of religion, institutional racism, gender equality, the relatio