NATIONAL BAPTIST PUBLISHING BOARD.
[Illustration: REV. R. H. BOYD, D. D.]
The National Baptist Publishing Board, located at Nashville, Tenn.,
is, beyond doubt, the largest and by far the best equipped printing
plant operated by colored people. This establishment was started for
the purpose of giving some of the enormous amount of printing done
for the colored people, in the way of Sunday-school literature and
regular church publications, into the hands of the race, in order that
employment might be given to those who were already competent printers,
and at the same time encourage others to learn the trade. Rev. R. H.
Boyd, D. D., is the general secretary. He has shown himself a very
active and efficient man in his place. The success of this enterprise
has far surpassed their most sanguine hopes. The board does all kinds
of printing, even book work of a high order. I think it no more than
fair to them and the public that I give here a part of the secretary's
yearly report for 1900 and a part of 1901:
"The work of our Publishing Board has been conducted this year on the
same plan as the past four years, by a board of managers, a secretary,
treasurer and general manager. The literary department has been
conducted by an editor-in-chief, with an editorial staff. We are glad
to say that every department of this work has been conducted on strict
business principles. Our board has held three meetings in the rooms of
the publishing house, examining the machinery and plant thoroughly, and
has appointed an auditor, who has gone carefully over all of the books
and accounts and attached his certificate to each quarterly report
rendered by the Publishing Board. We are glad to say that the work
is no longer an experiment, but a reality. We have the best and most
thoroughly equipped publishing plant in America owned and operated by
negroes. In our judgment, seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) is a
very low estimate for this plant, for if it were capitalized for one
hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) it would pay a reasonable dividend.
This plant has only a small debt, and this is mostly on the real
estate. It is strange that all of this has been paid for out of the
profit arising from the business, and yet the Publishing Board has made
large appropriations each year to missions.
"Last year we called your attention to the fact that there had been so
great an increase in the volume of business that we were compelled to
make general improvements. We did not expect, however, at the time to
make the improvements so extensive, but the great enthusiasm created by
the delegates on returning from the convention at Richmond aroused such
interest everywhere, that the volume of business has far surpassed the
most sanguine expectations of the most hopeful friend of the Publishing
Board.
"The improvements begun last year are fully completed. We have also
added a machine known as the arithmometer and two typewriters to our
clerical department. We have added one roller backer machine and one
book and pamphlet trimmer, together with a great deal of bookbinders'
appliances to our bindery. We have added one more steam-engine and
a full electric light plant to our power-house, three more printing
presses to our press-room, a full set of linotype machinery, together
with a large supply of printing material to our composing-room.
"The greatest need to-day of our publishing plant is more room. We
occupy three brick buildings, one, two and three stories respectively.
These are crowded to their utmost capacity, and yet the board has work
of its own and uncompleted contracts which are more than ninety days
behind.
"THE BUSINESS DEPARTMENT.
"This department is almost exclusively under the management of the
secretary and general manager, who has conducted the business in such
a way as to challenge the admiration and confidence of the commercial
world, bringing respect and honor to the denomination and credit to
himself. We are glad to say that his careful business management has
brought almost unlimited credit to our publishing concern in commercial
circles.
"It would be well under this head to call the attention of the members
of the convention to the profits or income arising from this business
to the denomination. By referring to our financial statement, it will
be seen that after meeting all expenses of publication the Publishing
Board was able to pay cash for $6,000 worth of machinery, which will
stand as a permanent fund, and has an uncollected account standing out
in open accounts and negotiable notes to the amount of over $2,425.37,
and still made an appropriation of over $8,000 to missions, thus
showing that the Publishing Board is not only self-supporting, but has
paid a dividend to the denomination this year of $16,425.37.
"Our Publishing Board is not only publishing pamphlets and
Sunday-school magazines in their own name, but is really doing the
work. All typesetting, presswork and binding is done by our own
people. They are also engaged in real bookbinding. This is furnishing
employment to a large number of skilled mechanics who could not obtain
like employment in any other institution."
I am sure that the statements made by Secretary Boyd will be very
encouraging to all who read them. One of the leading men in this great
work is the Rev. E. C. Morris, D. D., who is president of the National
Baptist Convention. He is a very progressive man, and has done much for
the elevation of the colored people at large. From the fact that Rev.
Morris has been president of the national convention for years shows
the high esteem he is held in by the Baptist denomination.