Researching Race Textbooks in the 1900 Paris Exposition

Mapping the Stories: The Legacy of Daniel A. P. Murray

Jordan D. Ross, 2024 Junior Fellow and Deanna McCray James, Office of Communication

March 14, 2025

Group of African American scholars sitting and reading books in a library.

This StoryMap is part of the series "Mapping the Stories: The Legacy of Daniel A. P. Murray," which includes several projects produced by Library of Congress Junior Fellows in 2024. Additional entries in this series include Daniel A. P. Murray's Literary Elitism and The Legacy of Daniel A. P. Murray .

"The Object in this effort is to secure a copy of every book and pamphlet in existence, by a Negro Author, the same to be used in connection with the Exhibit of Negro Authorship at the Paris Exposition of 1900, and later placed in the Library of Congress."
Daniel Alexander Payne Murray, Preliminary List of Books & Pamphlets by Negro Authors (1900).

I. Introduction: Daniel A. P. Murray

Often times African American bibliophiles, librarians, and historians from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries run through our history like an unseen hand. But we reap the fruits of their endeavors today and Daniel Alexander Payne Murray may perhaps be one of the leading unheralded intellectuals during this period.

Black and white photo of Daniel A.P. Murray — *Daniel A. P. Murray (1852-1925)* , Photographer unknown, undated. Library of Congress.

Daniel A. P. Murray was born on March 3, 1852 in Baltimore, Maryland to George and Eliza (Wilson) Murray. This family was a combination African American elite lineages during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. From the Murrays, Evens, the Bruces, and Proctors, this family was part of the who’s who of Black America.

Murray moved to Washington D.C. at a young age and worked with his brother, who happened to be managing a restaurant in the U.S. Capital building. Murray stumbled across a senator named Timothy Howe and impressed him and another colleague named Rand Spofford. Given their impression of Murray, they arranged a part-time position for him at the Library of Congress. This was an incredible opportunity for Murray and employment was extremely rare for African Americans. Prior to Murray’s employment, there had only been one other African American hired and his name was Jon F.N. Wilkinson.

Front page of newspaper with portrait of Daniel A.P. Murray — *The Colored American. Vol. 8, No. 4 (Washington, D.C.), 28 April 1900* . Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Library of Congress.

Murray was a gifted researcher, writer, and historian. Many African Americans went to Murray for research and he was a member of some of the most elite African American intellectual circles. From his close friendships with Arturo Schomburg, Henry Slaughter, and W.E.B. Du Bois, to his partnerships with his cousin William C. Bolivar and Alain Locke, Murray was at the center of all intellectual movements across the eastern region of the United States.

The Original Black Elite: Daniel Murray & the Story of a Forgotten Era

The story of Daniel Alexander Payne Murray and the rise and fall of America's black upper class during the latter quarter of the 19th Century is the subject of a new book by Elizabeth Dowling Taylor, "The Original Black Elite: Daniel Murray and the Story of a Forgotten Era."

https://www.youtube.com/

Map of Washington DC oriented towards northeast, heavily featuring roads, rivers, and topographic contours.

II. 1900 Paris Exposition

One of the most impactful projects that Murray worked on was the development of a bibliographical list of African American authors for the 1900 Paris Exposition. W. E. B. Du Bois lead this initiative with data, charts, photographs, and literature to reveal the progress and achievements of African Americans.

Newspaper cover for the Colored American featuring large photograph of W.E.B. DuBois sitting in room surrounded by books and wall-mounted prints.. — *The Colored American. (Washington, D.C.), 3 November 1900* , Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Library of Congress.

Graphic of horizontal bar chart showing income and expenditures for 150 African American families in Atlanta, including photographs of homes and portraits of two African Americans. — *[The Georgia Negro] Income and expenditure of 150 Negro families in Atlanta, Ga., U.S.A.* , W. E. B. Du Bois, [c.1900], Prints and Photographs Division.

Murray published the list of African American authors on a pamphlet titled, “Preliminary list of books and pamphlets by Negro authors: for Paris Exposition and Library of Congress.” This list has thousands works of literature authored by numerous Black writers, but an interesting find that you’ll see in section four, is the inclusion of a little known literary genre called “Race Textbooks.”

Cover of "Preliminary List of Books and Pamphlets by Negro Authors" bibliography. — *Preliminary list of books and pamphlets by Negro authors: for Paris Exposition and Library of Congress* , Daniel A.P. Murray, 1900, Rare Book and Special Collections Division.

Two large horse statues and covered walkways on the 1900 Paris Expedition grounds.

III. Black Education Map

Teacher in front of classroom of students sitting at desks. — LEFT: *[Teacher and students in classroom at Whittier Primary School, Hampton, Virginia]* , Frances Benjamin Johnston, [1899 or 1900], Prints and Photographs Division. MIDDLE: *[Nine African American women, full-length portrait, seated on steps of a building at Atlanta University, Georgia]* , Thomas E. Askew, [1899 or 1900], Prints and Photographs Division. RIGHT: *[African American baseball players from Morris Brown College,...]* , W. E. B. Du Bois (collector), [1899 or 1900], Prints and Photographs Division.

Group of nine African American women sitting on steps of building. — LEFT: *[Teacher and students in classroom at Whittier Primary School, Hampton, Virginia]* , Frances Benjamin Johnston, [1899 or 1900], Prints and Photographs Division. MIDDLE: *[Nine African American women, full-length portrait, seated on steps of a building at Atlanta University, Georgia]* , Thomas E. Askew, [1899 or 1900], Prints and Photographs Division. RIGHT: *[African American baseball players from Morris Brown College,...]* , W. E. B. Du Bois (collector), [1899 or 1900], Prints and Photographs Division.

Frontis and title page of "History of the New York African free-schools" with title information and illustration of New York African Free-School building.

1794

The African Free School is founded in New York City.

Front cover of Annual Commencement address booklet.

1837

Institute for Colored Youth (now Cheyney University) is founded. It is the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU).

1841

James Pennington's "A Textbook of the Origin and History, &c. &c. of the Colored People," is published -- the first "race textbook."

Honorary degree for Rosa Parks from Lincoln University.

1854

Lincoln University is founded.

Panoramic illustration of campus of Wilberforce University.

1856

Wilberforce University is founded.

Title page for William Wells Brown race textbook.

1863

A race textbook titled "The Black Man: His Antecedents, His Genius, and His Achievements" by William Wells Brown is published.

Illustration of Atlanta University campus buildings.

1865

Atlanta University - first HBCU in the Deep South is founded.

Teacher in front of classroom with group of students sitting at desks.

1868

Hampton Institute (now Hampton University) is founded.

Portrait photograph of group of Tuskegee Institute faculty and Andrew Carnegie.

1881

Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) is founded.

Illustrated portrait of George Washington Williams.

1882

A race textbook by George Washington Williams titled "History of the Negro Race in America" is published.

Advertisement in a newspaper for Edward A. Johnson’s textbook, with American flag illustration and description of book.

1895

A race textbook by Edward A. Johnson titled "A School History of the Negro Race in America" is published.

Title page for “Progress of a Race…” textbook.

1897

A Race textbook by William H. Crogman titled "A Progress of the Race" is published.

IV. Race Textbooks

During the late nineteenth century, books on the progress, history, and achievements of Black people in North America began to emerge. Many of these books were taught both inside and outside of the classroom. The genre of these books are often referred to as “Race Textbooks” or what Elizabeth McHenry has called “Racial Schoolbooks” (McHenry, P. 14). These books were distributed through subscription services and advertised throughout Black newspapers. Daniel A. P. Murray’s “Books and Pamphlets by Negro Authors” includes numerous race textbooks and are highlighted below. Emphasis added in textbook quotations.

Screenshot of preliminary list of books and pamphlets with William Wells Brown literature emphasized by StoryMap author. — *Preliminary list of books and pamphlets by Negro authors: for Paris Exposition and Library of Congress* , Daniel A. P. Murray, 1900, Rare Book and Special Collections Division.

Screenshot of preliminary list of books and pamphlets with W.H. Crogman literature emphasized by StoryMap author. — *Preliminary list of books and pamphlets by Negro authors: for Paris Exposition and Library of Congress* , Daniel A. P. Murray, 1900, Rare Book and Special Collections Division.

The Black Man: His Antecedents, His Genius, and His Achievements by William Wells Brown (1863)

Brown, W. W. (1865) The Black Man, His Antecedents, His Genius, and His Achievements. Boston, R.F. Wallcut. — *The Black Man, His Antecedents, His Genius, and His Achievements* , William Wells Brown, 1865, General Collections.

"If this work shall aid in vindicating the Negro's character, and show that he is endowed with those intellectual and amiable qualities which adorn and dignify human nature, it will meet the most sanguine hopes of the writer."
William Wells Brown, The Black Man: His Antecedents, His Genius, and His Achievements (1863) P. 6

History of the Negro Race in America from 1619 to 1880... by George Washington Williams (1882)

Cover page for "History of the Negro Race in America from 1619 to 1880..." — *History of the negro race in America from 1619 to 1880...* , G. W. Williams, c.1882, General Collections

Illustrated portrait of G.W. Williams appearing in "History of the Negro Race in America From 1619 to 1880..." — *History of the negro race in America from 1619 to 1880...* , G. W. Williams, c.1882, General Collections

"I was surprised and delighted to find that the historical memorials of the Negro were so abundant, and so creditable to him . . . I became convinced that a history of the colored people in America was required, because of the amply historically trustworthy material at hand."
George Washington Williams, Preface, History of the Negro Race in America from 1619 to 1880 (1882) P. V.

Progress of a Race; or, The Remarkable Advancement of the Colored American by William Henry Crogman (1897)

Title page of "Progress of a Race..." — LEFT: *Progress of a race; or, The remarkable advancement of the colored American...* , Gibson, John William, William Henry Crogman, Booker T. Washington, and Fannie Barrier Williams, [1912], General Collections. MIDDLE: *An era of progress and promise, 1863-1910...* , William Newton Hartshorn and George W. Penniman, 1910, General Collections. RIGHT: *The Omaha Guide (Omaha, Neb.)* *27 July 1940* , Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Library of Congress.

Photograph portrait of W.H. Crogman along with short biography. — LEFT: *Progress of a race; or, The remarkable advancement of the colored American...* , Gibson, John William, William Henry Crogman, Booker T. Washington, and Fannie Barrier Williams, [1912], General Collections. MIDDLE: *An era of progress and promise, 1863-1910...* , William Newton Hartshorn and George W. Penniman, 1910, General Collections. RIGHT: *The Omaha Guide (Omaha, Neb.)* *27 July 1940* , Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Library of Congress.

"The Progress of a Generation in the history of the Negro is the most fascinating study modern times possesses. Springing from the darkest depths of slavery and sorrowful ignorance to the heights of manhood and power almost at one bound, the Negro furnishes an unparalleled example of possibility. In the pages following, the authors have performed a duty at once difficult and needful—that of following the rise of the Negro through the different stages of his career. It is a task that merits respect, commands attention, and is, unhappily, too seldom attempted."
Booker T. Washington, Introduction, Progress of a Race; or, The remarkable advancement of the colored American. (1912) P. 4

A School History of the Negro Race in America from 1619 to 1890 by Edward A. Johnson (1890)

Newspaper advertisement for "School History of the Negro" book, including illustration of Frederick Douglass. — LEFT: *The Freeman (Indianapolis [Ind.]), 27 Feb. 1897* , Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Library of Congress. RIGHT: *The Colored American. (Washington, D.C.), 7 July 1900* . Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Library of Congress.

Newspaper advertisement featuring description of "School History of the Negro" book treatment of Spanish-American War. — LEFT: *The Freeman (Indianapolis [Ind.]), 27 Feb. 1897* , Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Library of Congress. RIGHT: *The Colored American. (Washington, D.C.), 7 July 1900* . Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Library of Congress.

"To the many thousand colored teachers in our country is this book dedicated. During my experience of eleven years as a teacher, I have often felt that the children of the race ought to study some work that would give them a little information on the many brave deeds and noble characters of their own race. I have often observed the sin of omission and commission on the part of white authors, most of whom seem to have written exclusively for white children, and studiously left out the many creditable deeds of the Negro. The general tone of most of the histories taught in our schools has been that of the inferiority of the Negro, whether actually said in so many words, or left to be implied from the highest laudation of the deeds of one race to the complete exclusion of those of the other. It must, indeed, be a stimulus to any people to be able to refer to their ancestors as distinguished in deeds of valor, and peculiarly so to the colored people. But how must the little colored child feel when he has completed the assigned course of U. S. History and in it found not one word of credit, not one word of favorable comment for even one among the millions of his foreparents who have lived through nearly three centuries of his country's history."
EDWARD A. JOHNSON, Preface, A school history of the negro race in America, from 1619 to 1890 (1890), P. 3 - 4.

About the Author

Portrait photograph of the StoryMap author, Jordan Ross. — Photo of Jordan Ross

Originally from Odenton, Maryland, 2024 Junior Fellow Jordan Ross, now lives in Philadelphia where he is a joint Ph.D. student in history and education at The University of Pennsylvania. His research interests center on the history of African American education in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Before beginning his Ph.D., Jordan completed a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Morehouse College and a master’s degree in education at the University of Michigan. This summer Jordan is worked on the "Mapping the Stories: The Legacy of Daniel A. P. Murray project" where he created this story map based on historical textbooks in the Murray collection. After completing his Ph.D., Jordan sees himself working as a curator or in educational programming and outreach for an archive. He was drawn to the Junior Fellows program because of his interest in making archives, and therefore history, more accessible and inclusive through digital humanities work. He is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.