The Man Who Won: A short story by Harry H. Pace (1913 The Crisis Magazine)

Bliss Broyard's comment

Hi Peter:

Thanks so much for alerting me to your blog. I think this is a great way to unearth more information about your grandfather. I'm going to send the link to a few people whom I'm hoping can be helpful in your search. I'm sure there must be some correspondence or recollections out there given how prominent Harry was and the people he knew. I hope you continue to post information here as you discover it. As I mentioned when we talked on the phone, the fact that people such as your grandfather--who was such a race man--chose this solution of last resort, passing, suggests just how intractable racism was in the early twentieth century. I think his story has much to teach us.

Best of luck to you,
Bliss Broyard
(author of ONE DROP)

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My name is Peter Pace. I am the grandson of Harry Herbert Pace who was the founder and CEO of Black Swan records, the first African American music recording company. Harry Pace was born January 6, 1894 in Covington, Georgia. to Charles and Elizabeth Pace. He graduated Valedictorian from Atlanta University in 1903. He married Ethylynde Bibb in 1917. He worked with W.E. B. DuBois on the Moon Illustrated Weekly which was the precursor to The Crisis which became the official publication for the NAACP. He worked in banking, and had a very successful career in insurance. Being very light skinned, as were his wife and children, and in spite of a lifetime of race advocacy, upon his death his heirs passed into the white race and the secret was kept even from immediate family members until two years ago. Harry H. Pace had two light skinned children; Josephine and HarryJr. I and my two sisters were born to Harry Jr. We were brought up in an exclusively white environment with know knowledge of our grandparents and fathers race. It is my goal to explore the life of Harry Pace and discuss the ramifications of secrets and "passing" in American culture.