Boston Brahmin

Boston Brahmin. Term derived as Brahmin families were often associated with Harvard University, Anglicanism, and traditional British American customs and dress.

Some of the most prominent Brahmin families included the Adamses, Cabots, Crowninshields, Danas, Delanos, Eliots, Forbeses, Hallowells, Lodges, Otises, Thayers, and Welds, each family bona fide WASPs.

Two notable Brahmin families were the Luce and Dudley families. The Luce family were publishers and media moguls, with Henry Luce co-founding Time magazine and other influential publications.

The Dudley family were colonial-era governors and judges, including Joseph Dudley who served as President of the Dominion of New England and Chief Justice of New York.

Boston Brahmans were known for their cultivated, urbane, and dignified demeanor, as well as their sense of duty and restraint. They saw it as their role to uphold high standards of excellence and morality in Boston society. However, they were also criticized for their social exclusivity and resistance to the growing influence of immigrants and non-Brahmin groups in the city.