The Phoenix index., 1941-10-04
GREAT IMPORTANCE
TO, CHURCH

NnGfA 41vhA OAt A%AAN ~
To CHURCH
This publication is regarded as
of great Importance to the Negro
Baptist Church In his endorse
ment of the work undertaken by
the Illinois WPA. DR.. D. v. Je111l-
son. president of the National Bap-
list Convention, hailed the Direct
prv as an "invaluable contributors
to materials used by ciergy1nen
In addition. the Directory undoubt-
edly will be used to an advantage
by church historians, archivists and
students.
Work on this extensive compila-
ton was begun in the Spring OF
1910 with the cooperation OF presl-
dents and secretaries of all State
conventions, moderators and secre-
taries of all associations, and
thousands of ministers According
to Mr.. Casey, the directory could
not have been produced without
the active aid and interest of these
church officials. The directory
records the status and affiliations
of each church body as given to the
Historical Records Survey by re-
sponsible church officers and pas
tors. Structural basis for the can
vass was modelled upon the U. S.
Census of Religious Bodies.
A current file of newly formed
associations, congregations, and
ministerial changes will be kept
by the illinois WPA Historical
Survey office. Supplements to the
Directory will be issued by this
office as changes occur. Thomas R.
Hall, State Director of the Survey,
says that periodic information sent
in by church officials and ministers
will be necessary to keep revisions
in the supplements up to date and
asks cooperation in this work.
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
While Illinois WPA Directory of
Neg1b Baptist Church organiza-
tons is the first national publica-
ton of its kind to be produced,
others WPA officials have issued
Historical Records Survey publica-
tiohs which included or were de-
voted exclusively to the Negro
church.
AS early as February, 1889, the
District of Columbia WPA brought
out Church Archives Inventory
entitled DIRECTORY of Churches
and Religious Organizations, Wash
ington, D. c." Many notable facts
on the individual histories of over
$50 Negro Baptist churches in the
State of New Jersey are recorded
in the 289-page Inventory of
Church Archives of New Jersey;
Baptist Bodies,' ifAled by the New
Jersey State WPA during April,
1889 This was followed by history
of the rise of the Negro Baptist
church to en institution now en-
hracing 17,743 minister's; 22.OS1
churches; 3,75O,OO0 communicates,
and property valued at s103 ,465 300.
as recounted in the Virginia WPA
Church Inventory Negro Baptist
Churches in Richmond" April,
A01V 10 I1AC ldUC VI I)uUllCdJtOIl lOI
this Historical Survey Publication,
concerned manly with the indivi-
dual histories of eight Baptist
Conventions in the old Dominion
State, and which tells brief story
of every Negro Baptist Church in
Richmond, Va.
The forthcoming Illinois WPA
Directory of Negro Baptist Organi-
cations end other State archives and
inventories of religious bodies were
authorized by President Franklin
D. Roosevelt, who on September
l, 1929, set up the Historical
Records Survey to perform work
leading to the preparing and du-
plicating inventories of Federal
State. countv. municipal and other
public archives preparing and du-
plicating inventories. guide and
calendars of manuscript collections
including church arhives.''