Mr. A. E. Martin, of the Pennsylvania State College, will soon publish
through the Filson Club _The Anti-Slavery Movement in Kentucky to
1850_. Mr. Martin plans to bring this study down to 1870.
The New York Missionary Education Movement of the United States and
Canada has published _The Lure of Africa_ by C. H. Patton.
W. M. Ramsay's _The Intermixture of Races in Asia Minor_ has come from
the Oxford University Press.
The Harvard University Press has published _Ephod and Ark_, by W. R.
Arnold.
July number of _The Journal of Race Development_ contains two
interesting articles: _On the Culture of White Folk_, by Dr. W. E. B.
DuBois, and _Psychic Factors in the New American Race Situation_, by
George W. Elliss, K.C., F.R.G.S.
The July number of the _American Journal of Sociology_ contains a
rather misinforming article on _The Superiority of the Mulatto_, by
Mr. E. B. Reuter, and another on _Class and Caste_, by Edward Alsworth
Ross.
In the July number of the _South Atlantic Quarterly_ appears _The
Black Codes_, by Prof. John M. Mecklin, of the University of
Pittsburgh.
Prof. Benjamin Brawley will soon publish a work to be known as _The
Genius of the Negro_.
_La Revista Bimestre Cubana_ has published Los _Negros Esclavos_, a
study in sociology and public law by Fernando Ortiz, professor in the
University of Havana.
The United States Bureau of Education in cooperation with the
Phelps-Stokes Fund has published in two volumes a report entitled
_Negro Education, a Study of the Private and Higher Schools for
Colored People in the United States_. This report was prepared under
the direction of Dr. Thomas Jesse Jones, specialist in the education
of racial groups. This work was undertaken to comply with that
provision of the will of Miss Caroline Phelps-Stokes directing that
some portion of the income from a fund originally amounting to about
$900,000 be used for the education of Negroes and for research and
publication. In 1912 it was decided to prepare a report on Negro
education to furnish the public with valuable information as to
existing conditions throughout the South. The Bureau of Education
agreed to cooperate with the trustees of the Phelps-Stokes Fund,
bringing the work under the general supervision of the United States
Commissioner of Education. This report is the result of their
efficient cooperation.
On the thirtieth of August, there assembled at the request of the
United States Commissioner of Education a conference to discuss this
report. For two days practically all of the active white and colored
educators in Negro schools discussed the various phases of education
as brought out by this report and undertook to find a working basis
for a more extensive cooperation of all agencies in the uplift of the
Negro. The frank statements of several of the State Superintendents,
like that of Mr. Harris of Louisiana, showed how much good a report of
this kind may do in arousing the best white people of the South to a
realization that it pays to educate all citizens of the state whether
they be white or black. No definite decision was reached but the
conference was a success in leading men to study more seriously the
problems of Negro education.
THE FIRST BIENNIAL MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF NEGRO
LIFE AND HISTORY AT WASHINGTON
There is no fixed rule to determine exactly where the meetings of the
Association shall be held. The constitution grants this power to the
Executive Council. Washington, however, naturally proved attractive
for the reasons that it is located mid-way between the North and the
South, the Association is incorporated under laws of the District of
Columbia, and several of its officers reside there. The extensive
advertising given the meeting and the occurrence of the conference in
Washington on the education of the Negro the following day brought to
the meeting probably the largest number of useful and scholarly
Negroes ever assembled at the national capital. Among these were:
President Nathan B. Young, Mr. W. T. B. Williams, President Byrd
Prillerman, Dr. C. V. Roman, Prof. George E. Haynes, Mr. Monroe N.
Work, President W. J. Hale, Dean Benjamin G. Brawley, Bishop I. N.
Ross, Prof. J. R. Hawkins, Mr. R. P. Hamlin, Mr. C. H. Tobias, and Mr.
A. L. Jackson. The meeting was further honored with the presence of
some of the most useful and distinguished white persons in the
country, namely: Mrs. Louis F. Post, the wife of the Assistant
Secretary of Labor; Dr. Thomas Jesse Jones, Educational Expert of the
United States Bureau of Education; Dr. James H. Dillard, Director of
the John F. Slater Fund; Mr. George Foster Peabody, the New York
banker; and Mr. Julius Rosenwald, the well-known philanthropist.
The morning session proved to be the most interesting of all. The
introductory address was delivered by Dr. J. E. Moorland, the
Secretary-Treasurer, who, in the absence of the President, presided
throughout the meeting. In his remarks Dr. Moorland gave a brief
account of what the Association had undertaken and endeavored to show
how important the work is and how successfully it is being prosecuted
under tremendous difficulties. He paid a high tribute to the Director
of Research and Editor as the one who has done most of the work and
contributed most of the money to finance the movement.
Mr. Monroe N. Work then read a very carefully prepared and
illuminating paper on "The Negro and the World War." Taking a
world-wide view of the great struggle, Mr. Work discussed the social,
economic and political roots of the war as it concerns the black race
and explained how the interests of these people connect with the
upheaval in all its ramifications. As Dr. R. R. Wright, Jr., was
unavoidably absent, all the time allowed for the discussion of the
paper was given to Prof. George E. Haynes. Basing his remarks on the
actual facts of the migration of the Negroes to the North, Professor
Haynes spoke of the war as a rejuvenating and regenerating factor in
enabling the Negro to know his possibilities and to come into his own.
Dr. C. G. Woodson followed Mr. Work, making a clear statement as to
the meaning of the movement to study Negro life and history and
setting forth the plans to save the records of the black race that the
Negro may not, like the Indian, leave no written account of his
thoughts, feelings, aspirations, and achievements. Dr. Woodson went
into detail to explain how necessary it is to have trained
investigators to undertake this work immediately, before it is too
late, as many valuable documents bearing on the Negro are being
destroyed for the reason that persons now possessing them do not know
their value and the facilities for collection of such materials now
afforded are inadequate. This topic was further discussed by Dr. C. V.
Roman and Dr. Thomas Jesse Jones. Dr. Roman restricted his remarks
largely to a definition of civilization to determine whether or not
the Negro has made any contribution to it. After speaking of certain
achievements of the Negro he deplored the fact that not only the white
people but the Negroes themselves know very little about what their
race has contributed to the progress of mankind. Dr. Jones spoke of
how important it is for a race to know and write its own history, for
because of race prejudice, a man of one race cannot easily tell the
truth about one of another. He then expressed his deep interest in the
work and lauded the enterprise of those who are prosecuting it.
Probably the most interesting features of the morning session,
however, were the brief addresses of Mr. George Foster Peabody, Mr.
Julius Rosenwald, and Mr. James H. Dillard. Mr. Peabody expressed his
delight at seeing such an important work undertaken and urged
cooperation as the only successful way of carrying it on. He took
occasion, also, to speak of his general interest in the Negro and his
belief in his ultimate success. Mr. Julius Rosenwald referred to the
time when he received a copy of the first issue of the JOURNAL OF
NEGRO HISTORY and how it so impressed him that he decided to
contribute one hundred dollars to its support every quarter. He
believes that this magazine of standard scientific stamp, published in
the interest of the propagation of the truth concerning the Negro,
will be another means of helping him onward and upward. Dr. James H.
Dillard spoke of the importance of studying Africa, mentioning several
books which are so informing to him that the far-off continent seems
to be an unexplored land of wonders. He maintained that largely
through the study of the history of one's race one can have high
ideals, without which there can be no actual progress.
The business session was looked forward to as an important one, as
interested members were anxious to know what the Association had done
during the first two years of its history. As there was no unfinished
business, new business was in order. The chairman appointed Professor
Kelly Miller, Dean Benjamin G. Brawley and Mr. M. N. Work as the
committee on nominations and Mr. A. L. Jackson, Prof. George E. Haynes
and Dr. Thomas J. Jones as an auditing committee. The most important
business was amending the constitution, the changes of which having
been previously sanctioned by a majority of the members of the
Executive Council, they were duly ratified by the Association. This
constitution follows.
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR
THE STUDY OF NEGRO LIFE AND HISTORY
I
The name of this body shall be the Association for the Study of
Negro Life and History.