Part 14

The Brownies’ Book, edited by W. E. B. DuBois, & A. G. Dill of New York City, N. Y., is something entirely new in the field of Negro journalism. It is, “A monthly magazine for children which attempts to bring to them: The best in pictures and stories of Negro life. The life and deeds of famous men and women of the Negro race. The current events of the world told in beautiful language which children can understand.”

In going out of the way to thoughtfully assert that the Brownies’ Book should be in every Negro home where there are children; the writer expresses such a sentiment, not because of being more partial to this certain magazine and its editors than to other magazines and their editors, but, because he is ever proud to admit that he is really cranky partial to any Negro history no matter under what covers it may appear. Especially is this true when such history is written (as in the Brownies’ Book) in plain, easy, truthful and interesting English that makes first and lasting impressions upon young and tender Negro minds before they are indelibly imprinted and permanently poisoned by the devilish trash contained in blood-thirsty, underworld, dime novels so youthfully secured and greedily read by unwatched and idle-minded children of all races.

Although it is not a monthly magazine but a quarterly journal, The Journal of Negro History, edited by Carter G. Woodson of Washington, D.C. is a nationally known publication of instruction, encouragement and inspiration for the American Colored people, of matured years who wish to learn their Race history.

Monroe N. Work’s marvelously compiled Negro Year Book is conceded to be the greatest compact work of literary science ever produced by an American Negro. What the World Almanac is to the Caucasian Race, The Negro Year Book is to the Negro Race. The following quotation is what a leading white newspaper, The New York Sun, commented on this masterpiece of literature: “Interesting and important is the array of facts relating to the Negro contained in the Negro Year Book. The book is a perfect encyclopedia of achievements by Negroes in all ranks of life, of the history of the race in the United States, of Legislative enactments relating to them, of activity in all branches, particularly education. The book is indispensable to all who have to deal with any phase of the Negro question.”

The following is a list of the most important monthly, quarterly or yearly magazines or journals published in the United States by Colored people:

American Caterer & Gazette Guide, Editor J. A. Ross, Buffalo, N. Y.

American Musicians’ Magazine, Editor W. A. Potter, Phila., Pa.

Amusement World, Editor Jack Trotter, Chicago, Ill.

Brotherhood Magazine, Editor C. H. Taylor, Chicago, Ill.

Brownies’ Book, Editors W. E. B. DuBois & A. G. Dill, New York, N.Y.

Business Men’s Bulletin, Editor Edw. Perkins, Chicago, Ill.

Journal of Nat’l Medical Ass’n, Editor Dr. J. A. Kenney, Tuskegee, Ala.

Journal of Negro History, Editor C. G. Woodson, Washington, D.C.

Music and Poetry, Editor Nora Douglass Holt, Chicago, Ill.

National Association Notes, Editor Mrs. Booker T. Washington, Tuskegee, Ala.

The Colored Teacher, Editor F. A. McGinnis, Wilberforce, Ohio.

The Competitor, Editor Robt. L. Vann, Pittsburgh, Pa.

The Crisis, Editor Dr. W. E. B. DuBois, New York City, N. Y.

The Crusader, Editor, C V. Briggs, New York City, N. Y.

The Favorite, Editor Fenton Johnson, Chicago, Ill.

The Half Century, Editor Katherine W. Irmin, Chicago, Ill.

The Master Musician, Editor G. W. Parris, Phila., Pa.

The Method, Editor F. H. Hallion, Richmond, Va.

The Messenger, Editors Owens and Chandler, New York City, N. Y.

The Pullman Porter’s Review, Editor Z. Withers, Chicago, Ill.

The Rainbow, Editor Aubrey Bowser, New York City, N. Y.

The Negro Year Book, Editor Monroe N. Work, Tuskegee Inst., Ala.

The Negro Musician, Editor Henry L. Grant, Washington, D.C.

The Search Light. Editor A. B. Vincent, Raleigh, N. C.

The Up-Reach Magazine, M. N. Huggins, Chicago, Ill.

Some names in above list are extracts from Negro Year Book, 1918-1919 edition, (Page 465).

As a successful magazine essay prize writer, Isaac Fisher, of Nashville, Tenn., is recognized today as the foremost in the Negro race. The following quotation is part of an article that appeared in the July 9, 1921 issue of the Chicago Defender:

“The third prize of $75, offered by the Metropolitan Magazine of New York in its contest for writers on the subject, “Can We Keep Peace with Japan,” was won by Isaac Fisher, editor of the Fisk University News, according to an announcement made in the August issue of the magazine just released....

“Among the prizes he has won in the past through his writings are first prize of $500 offered by Everybody’s Magazine; first prize of $100 offered by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch; first prize of $50 offered for the best digest of the merits of the money-weight scales; second prize of $400 offered by Hart, Schaffner & Marx’ executive committee of Chicago; second prize of $100 offered by the Manufacturers’ Record of Baltimore.

“Those who know Mr. Fisher’s records are aware that these are but a few of the prizes he has won in competition with the best minds of the country. It will be remembered that he won the first prize of $500 in Everybody’s Magazine contest in competition with 900 writers, including some of the best legal and professional men of the country.”

In summing up, the leading Colored short-story writers of today who are known throughout the country as standing contributors to newspapers and magazines are Frances Coston Berry, Indianapolis, Ind., Aubrey Bowser, New York, Chas. W. Chestnut, Cleveland, O., W. E. B. DuBois, New York, Jessie R. Fauset, New York, Isaac Fisher, Nashville, Tenn., T. Thomas Fortune, New York, W. N. Huggins, Chicago, Ill., Jas. A. Jackson, New York, A. L. Jackson, Chicago, Ill., Jas. Weldon Johnson, N. Y., Fenton Johnson, Chicago, Ill., Alice Dunbar Nelson, Wilmington, Del., Beatrice (Neave) Perry, Phila., Pa.

IN BOOK WRITING

INSPIRING BOOKS

When winds outside are howling loud, And snows fall fast from winter cloud, Or burning sun peeps through the leaves; As gently they dart from summer breeze; Let me sit near winter’s purring fire, Or by summer’s gurgling brook retire. With books to read of great deeds done By those who from low depths did run. --_Harrison._

On account of the present day rapid streams of their smoothly flowing inks into the deep-lettered channels of their versatile works, the following named persons, according to the estimation of one of America’s best literary critics, are ten of the foremost American Colored authors of today:

Wm. S. Braithwaite, Boston, Mass., Benjamin G. Brawley, Atlanta, Ga., W. E. B. Dubois, Jessie R. Fauset, Jas. Weldon Johnson, New York City, Georgia D. Johnson, Kelly Miller, Washington, D.C., Lucian B. Watkins, Annapolis, Md., Carter G. Woodson, Washington, D.C. and Monroe N. Work, Tuskegee, Alabama.

The following more detailed list contains the names of some of the foremost Colored authors and their most important works produced in America:

Delilah L. Beasley’s Negro Trail Blazers of California.

Ford S. Black’s Blue Book of Chicago.

Aubrey Bowser’s The Man Who Would be White.

R. H. Boyd’s Sunday School Commentary.

St. Elmo Brady’s Household Chemistry for Girls.

Wm. S. Braithwaite’s Anthology of Magazine Verse--Golden Treasury of Magazine Verse--Lyrics of Life and Love--Story of the Great War.

C. F. Bragg’s Men of Maryland--Afro-American Church Workers.

Benj. G. Brawley’s. History of The Negro--The Negro in Literature and Art.

Chas. W. Chestnutt’s The Conjur Woman--The House Behind The Cedars--The Marrow of Tradition--Frederick Douglass.

Jos. S. Cotter, Sr’s. Caleb The Degenerate--Links of Friendship--Sequel to The Pied Piper--White Song and A Black Song.

Jos. S. Cotter, Jr’s. Band of Gideon--Out of The Shadows.

L. J. Coppin’s Unwritten History.

A. B. Cosey’s American and English Law on Titles of Record.

J. W. Cromwell’s The Negro in American History.

D. W. Culp’s Twentieth Century of Negro Literature.

Frederick Douglass My Bondage and Freedom--Life and Times of Frederick Douglass.

W. E. B. DuBois The Suppression of The Slave Trade--Souls of Black Folks--The Quest of The Silver Fleece--John Brown--Darkwater.

Paul Lawrence Dunbar’s Folks From Dixie--Love and Landry --Lyrics of Lowly Life--Uncalled--Heart of Happy Hollow--Lyrics of The He Hearthstone-- Strength of Gideon and Other Stories--Complete Poems--Lyrics of Love and Laughter--Lyrics of Sunshine and Shadow--Poems of Cabin and Field--Life and Works of Paul Lawrence Dunbar.

H. O. Flipper’s Colored Cadets At West Point.

A. H. Grimke’s Negro and The Elective Franchise.

S. E. Griggs’ Life’s Demand or According to Law--The Hindered Hand-Unfettered.

Frances E. Harper’s Iola Leroy--Miscellaneous Poems --Sketches of Southern Life.

Algernon B. Jackson’s The Man Next Door.

Jas. Weldon Johnson’s The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man--Fifty Years and Other Poems.

Edw. A. Johnson’s Light Ahead For the Negro-- School History of The Negro Race In America--The Negro in The Spanish-American War.

Georgia D. Johnson’s An Autumn Love Cycle--Heart of A Woman and Other Poems--Shadow Song.

M. A. Majors’ Noted Negro Women.

Jas. E. McGirth’s The Triumph of Ephraim --Some Simple Songs.

Kelly Miller’s Out of The House of Bondage--Race Adjustment--World War For Human Rights.

J. E. Moorland’s Training of The Negro Minister.

Mrs. N. F. Mosselle’s Afro-American Women.

R. R. Moton’s Finding A Way Out.

Daniel Murray’s Encyclopedia Of The Negro.

Alice Dunbar Nelson’s Masterpieces of Eloquence--Goodness of St. Rocque And Other Stories.

D. A. Payne’s History Of The A. M. E. Church

I. G. Penn’s The Afro-American Press.

C. H. Phillips’ History of The C. M. E. Church.

William Pickens’ The Heir of Slaves.

J. A. Rogers’ From Superman to Man--An Open Letter To Congress.

Emmett J. Scott’s Booker T. Washington, Builder of a Civilization--Scott’s Official History of The American Negro In The World War.

W. H. Shackelford’s Along the Highway--Poems.

Mrs. S. M. Steward’s Women In Medicine.

Allison W. Sweeney’s History Of The World War.

B. T. Tanner’s History & Government Of The A. M. E. Z. Church Men.

Booker T. Washington’s Up From Slavery--Frederick Douglass--My Larger Education--Character Building--The Man Farthest Down--Working With The Hands--Future Of The American Negro--Negro In Business--Sowing and Reaping--Tuskegee and Its People.--Story of My Life And Work.

Geo. W. Williams’ History Of The Negro Race In America--History Of The Negro Troops In The Rebellion.

Carter G. Woodson’s A Century of Negro Migration--Education Of The Negro Prior To 1861.

John W. Work’s Folk Songs Of The American Negro.

Monroe N. Work’s Negro Year Book.

R. R. Wright, Sr’s. Negro Education in Georgia.

R. R. Wright, Jr’s. Centennial Encyclopedia Of The African M. E. Church.

(Some names in above list are from Negro Year Book, 1918-1919 edition, Pgs. 481-2-3.)

Noted Colored Statisticians

Dr. W. E. B. DuBois, Harvard graduate, Editor of The Crisis and The Brownies’ Book, New York City, and recognized as the leading Negro Sociologist in the world, is in possession of more authentic data covering the social life of the American Colored people than any other member of the race.

Dr. Geo. E. Haynes, Columbia graduate, U. S. Director of Negro Economics during the World War, and Dr. R. R. Wright Jr., graduate of the University of Pa., and editor of the Christian Recorder, Phila., Pa., are the two leading American Colored authorities on economic data relative to the all-round labor, industrial and living conditions of the Colored people in America.

Prof. W. T. B. Williams, Harvard graduate, Vice-Principal of Tuskegee Institute and Field Agent for the Jeanes and Slater Funds, is estimated to have on his “finger tips” more convincing and reliable facts and figures pertaining to the purposes, needs kinds and grades of work done and results obtained in Negro universites, colleges, industrial normal schools and rural county schools than any educator in America.

Prof. Monroe N. Work, a University of Chicago graduate, editor of the Negro Year Book and Director of Department Records and Research, Tuskegee Institute, Ala., is the foremost Negro not only in America, but throughout the world, who has in his possession the greatest amount of authentic statistics covering the all-round past and present activities of the Colored people in the United States of America.

Colored Orators and Lecturers

Some of the foremost Colored orators and lecturers who are most frequently on the platform before the American public today are J. W. E. Bowen, Atlanta, Ga., W. E. B. DuBois, New York City, N. Y., Geo. E. Haynes, Washington, D.C., Eva D. Bowles, New York City., Hallie Q. Brown, Wilberforce, Ohio, E. K. Jones, Jas. Weldon Johnson, New York City, N. Y., Mordecai Johnson, Charleston, W. Va., Kelly Miller, Washington, D.C., Chas. S. Morris, Jr., Norfolk, Va., J. E. Moorland, New York, N. Y., R. R. Moton, Tuskegee, Ala., Wm. Pickens, New York City, N. Y., C. V. Roman, Nashville, Tenn., Roscoe C. Simmons, Louisville, Ky., Mary C. Terrell, Washington, D. C., Wm. M. Trotter, Boston, Mass.

Now, if after reading through the foregoing pages of inspiration, regarding the successes of Negro writers, some Colored girls and boys should still lack courage, because of their color and race, to throw their talents into such literary avenues, they should remember that:--

The most important thing about a newspaper, magazine or book is not its white pages, (because such pages can be and often are colored) but the most important thing in such a publication is its print of jet black letters and words. But if those genuine Ethiopian letters refused, just because of their color, to mingle with and make lasting impressions upon the fair Caucasian pages of newspapers, magazines and books; why my discouraged young friends, there would be no fields nor meadows of journalism in which white people could even enter to frolic in the games of “pen and pencil pushing.”

IN HIGHER EDUCATION

GLAD HELLOES

Did joys spring up within your heart, When autumn days bade you depart Back to your campus truly veer To meet classmates to you so dear? --_Harrison._

SAD GOOD-BYES.

Did you ever have glad feelings sad, When June told you the books to shirk And classmates whom with fun you had You parted from to face life’s work? --_Harrison._

For the Colored youths of exceptional mental abilities and talents who desire to fit themselves along higher educational lines, there are 86 Negro universities and colleges and numerous white universities and colleges in the North and West where they can learn art, chemistry, dentistry, law, medicine, music, pharmacy, theology and other higher subjects. Up to the present time over 7000 Colored students have graduated from American colleges and of this number upward of ten or eleven hundred have graduated from white colleges. According to the July 1921 issue of The Crisis, 85 Colored Bachelors of Arts, & Sciences, 11 Masters of Arts and 3 Doctors in Philosophy graduated from white colleges in 1921, while 376 Bachelors of Arts, 80 Doctors of Medicine, 73 Dentists, 27 Pharmacists, 25 Lawyers and 45 Ministers graduated from Colored colleges in 1921. The three Colored scholars who graduated from the white colleges with the honors of Doctor of Philosophy are Misses Eva B. Dykes, Radcliffe College; Sadie T. Mossell, University of Pennsylvania, and Georgiana Simpson, University of Chicago. Miss Eunice R. Hunton, “an excellent student throughout her course” has the distinction of receiving the two honor degrees A. B. and A. M. upon her graduation in 1921 from Smith College, Mass.

The first Colored person to graduate from a Northern white college was John Brown Russworm, who graduated from Bowdoin in 1826. Aside from holding for years the world recognition and honor of being both the greatest scholastic and athletic university in America, Harvard University is also known throughout the Eastern and Western Hemispheres as practicing the truest and highest standards of broad-minded, one-hundred percent Americanism toward its Colored students of any similar white institution in America. As a result of such brotherhood feelings existing there between the two races, more Negroes on an average enter and graduate from the different departments of Harvard than from any other great Northern white college. Its front doors (as well as back doors) are always standing ajar with latch strings hanging on the outside for the unembarrassed entrance of any worthy applicant whether he be rich or poor, white or black. And when a Colored student at Harvard joins his white school chums in singing their college song--“Fair Harvard,” he sings it with the same fullness and pathos in heart, the same peacefulness and contentment in mind and the same truthfulness and sincerity in words that he hopes when he enters the world to be able to sing in every country, over which floats the “Red White and Blue”--“My Country ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty”--letting his voice come to its fullest accent and climaxing crescendo on the word--LIBERTY.

Other leading white universities or colleges having encouraged and welcomed Colored students to study in and graduate from their class room, as well as to play and star on their varsity teams are as follows:

Amherst, Mass., Bates, Maine, Brown, R. I., California, Cal., Carnegie, Pa., Chicago, Ill., Cincinnati, O.; Clark, Mass., Colby, Me., Columbia, N. Y., Cornell, N. Y., Dartmouth, N. H., Dubuque, Ia., Illinois, Ill., Indiana, Ind., Kansas, Kan., Lafayette, Pa., (and the racial broad-mindedness, human brotherhood and one-hundred percent Americanism sentiment relative to the Negro at Lehigh University, Pa., as a student, is becoming so pronounced there as to indicate that Lehigh may eventually join these other white schools with her sister Lafayette in having Colored American citizens to study and recite in her class rooms) Massachusetts, Mass., Michigan, Mich,. New York, N. Y., Northwestern, Ill., Ohio State, O., Pennsylvania, Pa., Pittsburgh, Pa., Radcliffe, Mass., Rutgers, N. J., Smith, Mass., Syracuse, N. Y., Temple, Pa., Tufts, Mass., Washington & Jefferson; Wellesley, Williams, Mass., Wisconsin, Wis., Yale, Conn.

Some of the Negro universities and colleges that are preparing young men and women of the Race to enter the different fields of professionalism for the betterment and uplift of themselves and their people are named below as follows:

Allen Univ., Columbia, S. C.; Arkansas Bapt. Col., Little Rock, Ark.; Altanta Bapt. Col., Atlanta Univ., Atlanta, Ga.; Barber Memorial Seminary, (women) Anniston, Ala.; Benedict Col., Columbia S. C.; Biddle Univ., Charlotte, N. C.; Claflin, Col., Orangeburg, S. C.; Clarke Univ., Atlanta, Ga.; Edward Waters Col., Jacksonville, Fla.; Fisk Univ., Nashville, Tenn.; Hartshorn Col., (women) Richmond, Va.; Howard Univ., Washington, D.C.; Jackson Col., Jackson, Miss.; Knoxville Col.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Lane Col.; Jackson, Tenn.; Lincoln Univ., Lincoln, Pa.; Livingston Col., Salisbury, N. C.; Mary Allen Seminary, (women) Crockett, Texas; Mary Holmes Seminary, (women) West Point, Miss.; Meherry Univ., Nashville, Tenn.; Miles Memorial Col., Birmingham, Ala.; Morehouse Col., Atlanta, Ga.; Morgan Col., Baltimore, Md.; Morris Brown Univ., Atlanta, Ga.; National Training School, Durham, N. C.; National Training School, (women) Washington, D.C.; Paine Univ., Augusta, Ga.; Paul Quinn Col., Waco, Tex.; Payne Univ., Selma, Ala.; Philander Smith Col., Little Rock, Ark.; Roger Williams Univ., Nashville, Tenn.; Rust Univ., Holley Springs, Miss.; Selma Univ., Selma, Ala.; Scotia Seminary, (women) Concord, N. C.; Shaw Univ., Raleigh, N. C.; Geo. R. Smith Col., Sedalia, Mo., Spellman Seminary, (women) Atlanta, Ga.; Shorter Col., Little Rock, Ark.; State Normal Col., Normal, Ala.; Straight Col., New Orleans, La.; Southern Univ., Baton Rouge, La.; Talladega Col., Talledega, Ala.; Touguloo Univ., Touguloo, Miss.; Virginia Union Univ., Richmond, Va.; Western Univ., Quindaro, Kan.; Wilberforce Univ., Wilberforce, O.; West Va. Collegiate Inst., Institute, West Va.; Wiley Col., Marshall, Tex. (extracts from Work’s Negro Year Book, 1918-1919 edition, pgs. 303-4-5).

Some of the foremost Colored leaders in higher education as well as among the most noted scholars of today are: H. S. Blackiston, Institute, W. Va., St. Elmo Brady, Washington, D.C., John W. Davis, Institute, W. Va., John A. Gregg, Wilberforce, O., G. E. Haynes, Washington D.C., John Hope, Atlanta, Ga., Elmer S. Imes, New York City, E. E. Just, Washington, D.C. Clement Richardson, Jefferson City, Mo., L. J. Rowan, Alcorn, Miss., W. S. Scarborough, Wilberforce, O., J. B. Simpson, Richmond, Va., C. H. Turner, St. Louis, Mo., N. B. Young, Tallahassee, Fla., R. C. Woods, Lynchburg, Va., C. G. Woodson, Washington, D.C., R. R. Wright, Jr., Phila., Pa.

Whenever a Colored person makes a phenomenal advancement in any special and worthy field of progress, some jealous enemy of the race silently creeps out at once, loads his donkey cart full of smoked glasses, leather glasses, sun glasses, eye glasses, spy glasses, magnifying glasses, old ladies’ spectacles, microscopes, telescopes, X-Rays, etc., etc., etc., and scoots around examining even the very breath the unsuspecting Colored person leaves upon the air. If the surmised results of that examination and the color of the victim’s skin in any way suggests that he has one drop of Caucasian blood in him; then the credit for all the success he has attained is given to the white race--just as a little patch of white hair on the forehead of an otherwise jet black horse is the cause of that black horse winning a race.

Allowing such enemies of Negroes to retain their foolish beliefs rather than waste valuable time trying to convince them they’re wrong, the writer, for the benefit of well-meaning but easily influenced white people who might be led astray by the above foolish beliefs, picks out just one from among scores of full-blooded Negroes of highest attainments in different fields. This selected and highly gifted Negro scholar is Dr. W. S. Scarborough, A. M., LL. D., Ph. D. about whom there has never been the slightest question regarding his not being a genuine Negro. He was for many years president of Wilberforce University and is a member of at least seven national and international educational societies the majority to which no other Negro belongs. At this writing Dr. Scarborough has just sailed for Europe where he will represent America in several international meetings of educational societies. He is the author of a Greek Grammar and several other original works in Greek.

Talented high school Colored youths who wish to go to college, but hesitate to go as high as possible in education for fear of their learned colored complexions displeasing other races, should remember that:

The highest thing in the world (the sky) is Colored, and who is not at all times over-joyed in spirits and much benefited in hopefulness when seeing blue patches of the elevated sky after it has been hidden for several days behind clouds that may even be of snowy whiteness?

IN THE SCIENCES

MAT HENSON

When he looked around to call the roll, As he first discovered the Northern Pole; Commodore Peary had by his side Mat Henson, a Negro, true and tried. --_Harrison._