Evening star., 1935-10-13
Bv Don Bloch.

spare room at 934 S street
i northwest the manuscript Of
the only definitive historical and bio
graphical encyclopedia of the colored
race throughout the world.
1t Is the painstaken and scholarly
lifework of Daniel Murray, interna-
tionally known Negro photographer
and historiographer Of his race before
his death in Washington In 1926, who
spent q of his So years service with
the Library of Congress on the monu-
mental compilation.
Two years before the World War,
Murray had so far completed his self
appointed task and pushed forward
plans for its publication that he could
supply Chicago book firm with ma
terials for an elaborate prospectus Of
the cyclopedia. This was printed in
1912, and defines the proposed COLI
tents of the six huge volumes the work
would have included.
A partial quotation therefrom indi-
Gates the tremendous scope under
taken by Murray.
1t embraces "25, 1000 biographical
sketches of men and women of the COL
ored race in every age. A photography
Of over 5000 titles of books and pati:-
phlets, which represent their contribu-
ton to the worlds literature. A synop-
tical list of all books of fiction by CaC-
casian authors that deal with the race
question as a feature. Also list CT
nearly 5000 musical compositions BY
colored composers in every part of the
world"
With the aid Of corps Of 80 as
sistant editors-Scholars scientists,
statesmen-from all over the world.
Murray had assembled his materials.
As one-time chief of periodicals ard
more than 40 years assistant librarian
at the Library of Congress, possessed
Of a most remarkable memory, MlI'-
ray was fortunately placed and by ma
ture equipped to carry on his huge
project.
His linguistic ability plus an almost
instructive bent for the arduouS labor
OF photography enabled him to make
excellent use of the source materials
surrounding him and to correspond
with the scholars of the many nations
who supplied him with little-known
facts.
Murray did all his research and
writing outside his regular duties at
the library. In the course of COM
pilation, he wrote more than 10000
letters to verify dates or other facts
pertinent to his task. According to
his widow, who has kept up to date
the entire work In all its phases, bib
biographical and otherwise, their din
ner table talk for quarter of CEN
tury was always on that portion of
the current work which Murray had
done for the day.
The war, with its attendant vicis-
situdes, caused the publishing venture
to be dropped for a time. Murray
labored on, however, and before his
death had again brought the work
up to include every new phase of the
progress and achievement OF his race
throughout the world.
THERE were definitely to be six
volumes, each to contain 600
pages, the whole work to be embel-
lished with 1900 illustrations which
Murray had collected from hundreds
OF sources accessible only to a man
in his position. He had increased his
manuscript in size by some $4,000
more biographical sketches anywhere
from fifty to five thousand words in
length, and added immensely to the
longer article and photographed por-
tions of his encyclopedia. Four vol
umes were to be devoted to articles
of encyclopedia length only; one to
longer articles on individuals and
events of racial interest; one volume
to photography alone.
At this time he had interested an
other publisher in the work, in New
York, and was patiently writing let
ters to make up a subscription list OF
1000 names which he had guaranteed
the book firm. Death intervened this
time. Murray was "a, and his widow,
also well along in years, was left the
burden of trying all over again to
interest a publisher and. at the same
time. keep up with the increasing
activities Of her people. This she has
done, devoting a number of hours
each day to do it, so that the latest
entry concerns the present ring idol,
Joe Louis Barrow.
A single entry from the unpublished
manuscript will give an idea of the
thoroughness of Murray's work, and
the intrinsic interest of the type of
material with which it deals. This
selection, from contemplated Volume
4, is on Richard Milburn. composer
of Listen to the Mocking Bird"
"It has long been observed that
the African possessed certain musical
traits of a high order, and that with
proper training he was destined to
reach a commanding place in the
musical world.
"This opinion is amply sustained by
the career of Samuel Ccleridge- Taylor,
who by his genius attained in 1907
to the highest honors accorded a
musician. And today he is spoken of,
and his music played throughout Eu-
rope and America.
"As great and musically prominent
as Mr.. Coleridge- Taylor Is today, the
same honor was accorded to George
A. P. Bridgetower, also a colored man,
and in honor of whom Beethoven
dedicated his famous musical compo-
sition known as the 'Kreutzer Sonata
Then there was. the Chevalier
Georges. the companion. about 1776-
90, Of kings, queens, princes and the
European nobility generally.
Richard Milburn, author Of Listen
to the Mocking Bird lacked the SCI
entiflc training Of the aforementioned,
but had musical taste. In the work
of establishing the authorship of this
once popular song, happily we are
able by reference to the minutes Of
the Philadelphia Library Co., an Or
ganization of colored men that met at
stated periods in the lecture room Of
st. Thomas Episcopal Church, to fix