Black Book Publishers in the United States: A Historical Dictionary of the Presses, 1817-1990 [Hardcover]

Donald Franklin Joyce (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 30, 1991

Since the second decade of the nineteenth century, there have been black-owned book publishers in the United States, addressing the special concerns of black people in ways that other book publishers have not. This is the first work to treat extensively the individual publishing histories of these firms. Though largely ignored by historians, the story of these publishers, as documented in this study, reveals fascinating details of literary history, as well as previously unknown facts about the contribution of blacks to Western civilization. Donald Franklin Joyce offers comprehensive profiles of forty-six publishing companies, selected for inclusion through an examination of major bibliographic works, book advertisements, periodical literature, and business directories. Each profile contains information on the company's publishing history, books and other publications that were released, information sources about the firm, other titles issued, libraries holding titles produced by the publisher, and officers and addresses, where appropriate. Entries are arranged alphabetically by the publisher name, while an appendix presents a geographic listing of the firms and an index offers author, title, and subject access. This work will be an important resource for students, scholars, and researchers interested in cultural and intellectual black history, as well as public and academic libraries seeking specific information on individual publishing companies.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This dictionary provides informative and readable histories of 46 black-owned publishing companies. Each profile contains information on the company's publications, lists of libraries holding them, bibliographies containing sources on the companies, and the names of officers and addresses for current organizations. Joyce's earlier work, Gatekeepers of Black Culture: Black-Owned Book Publishing in the United States, 1817-1961 (Greenwood, 1983), profiled 68 companies in its lengthy appendix and covered the history of the industry in its main text. All but four of the companies included here were cited in this earlier work, leaving one to wonder why the current work is not more comprehensive. Still, the book is of interest to public and academic libraries with collections in black history and culture.
- Marie F. Jones, Muskingum Coll. Lib., New Concord, Ohio
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

“According to Joyce little attention has been given to the activities of black US book publishers. His dictionary attempts to rectify that situation with detailed profiles of 45 blackowned denominational, institutional, and commercial firms. Each article includes a brief narrative history followed by brief critical summaries of major books published. One reads, for example that Counter Clockwise by John Lee (A. Wendell Malliet and Co., 1940) is "melodramatic with patently stereotyped characters," and that Maleficium by Russell Atkins (Free Lance Press, 1971) is made up of 20 "skillfully crafted vignettes." The historical essays are supported with notes and bibliographies, lists of titles from the particular firms, names of libraries holding specific titles, and names of the firms' chief executive officers. In many cases Joyce obtained historical details and statistics of press runs directly from the publishers themselves, thus providing an insider's view of the world of black publishing. Some of the information here can also be found in Joyce's Gatekeepers of Black Culture: Black Owned Book Publishing in the United States, 1817-1981 (CH, Jul '83), but dictionary format makes the present work more convenient for reference use. Recommended for libraries of institutions where there is interest in black culture and history as well as those supporting studies in the history of American journalism.”–Choice

“The book is indispensable for any research into Black book publishing. Its interest extends beyond the scholar to the ordinary citizen, who will find this book most useful.”–ARBA

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood Press (October 30, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0313267839
• ISBN-13: 978-0313267833
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,004,275 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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0 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Blessing of Adoption, February 24, 2002

By 

Nancy Austin (Frisco,Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Book Publishers in the United States: A Historical Dictionary of the Presses, 1817-1990 (Hardcover)

This is a true story of a miracle and the blessing of adoption and for reasons that there are so many wonderful people out there whom would love to be in a situation to adopt but because of the great expense they can't.
Fortunatly my husband and I were very lucky or I like to look at it as this was meant to be so we adopted Robby.Now times have changed and this happened in 1970 but I feel if you want something bad enough don't give up,have the faith and keep on hustling and your dream will come true.
We were the average get by from pay check to pay check.We had one son age two and I had lost two babie's and was told it was impossible for me to carry a baby full term.SoI came to terms and didn't think much about it for months.
Well my husband,his name is Joe was a computer operator and I knew we had a few bucks in savings and stocks and he had a stable job and we had plenty of room for a new baby and I had a gut feeling one morning when I woke up that I could get us a baby.I had never mentioned adoption to my husband,it had never entered my mind because of our situation,we wern't rich.
I called Joe at his job and told him I was going to adopt a baby and I needed him to sell some of his stocks,his reply was have you lost your mind espically since this was never discussed,he hung up on me.Then I called him back over and over then finally told him until he told me yes I would continue to call him.Finally to pasify me he said yes and please don't call me again.Oh my God I was so happy and then started thinking how am I going to get a baby.
Ipicked up the phone book,looked under attorney's and only made two calls.The second had a young unwed mother expecting to deliver at any time and the more information I was given the more excited I got.Before the conversation ended questions was asked and the next thing I know I had us an appointment set for one in the afternoon to fill out paper work.At this present time I first started calling Joe it was right after he got to work around eight A.M.and now it is ten thirty.I called him to tell him what was going on and we had a appointment at one so we had to be at that office to sign papers,he actually was in shock but he said he would be home to pick me up and I made him promise so I knew he would come through for me and did.
We went to the attorney's office,filled out the paper work and was told we qualified.I started this on a Friday and Monday morning the attorney called to tell us one mother had delivered twins,red headed but it would cost more money,which I would of loved to of gotten but couldn't afford.Our down payment on this baby was fifty dollars and the total was eleven hundred dollars.My word I was worried how I was going to pay the other but I had six weeks.
A short time later I received another call and our baby was born,a boy.I was some what disappointed since we had our son but thankful we had a new baby boy.All the time had gone by and Joe didn't seem to show the excitement I antisipated but I picked the phone up and told him Joe we had a boy,he was screaming to the staff I have a new boy,I have another boy and at that moment was the first signs of the joy and happiness I felt.
The attorney had done the check on us and on Wednesday the welfare worker was coming out for an interview and did.We passed with flying colors and the lady showed her happinessfor us.Then I get a call that we get to pick our baby up on Thursday morning at nine A.M.I was so excited I was up all night making sure everything was perfect and it was.
Well the time had come,we were to give the clothes for the baby to come home in and sit in the car and wait,it wouldn't take long but seemed like a life time.The lady brought us our baby and oh my God he was beauitful and I thanked God and he is to this day the most handsome man still,sky blue eyes and the prettiest complection.He was perfect and we couldn't keep our eyes and hands off him.There is so many more great details to this story and the ending is even better but the jester of this story is if you have the will there is a way.I started this by a thought on Friday and had my new baby the following Thrusday which took the total of seven days and everything was leget.We named him after my dad and Joe's dad.Robby's dad passed away in 1991 with colen cancer but one year ago I found his biological mother and by surprise he has a sister and his father also a half sister and brother.This took place one year ago on this past Mother's Day and Robby is happy with his new family.This isn't the end of the story but when not off the top of my head I write everything in proper form and detail this may encourage people not to give up on getting a baby because if it was possible for us to receive this blessing it could be done for anyone who really wants a baby.I pray that any family has this desire their dream comes true.