CHAPTER XXXVI.
NATIONAL BAPTIST PUBLISHING BOARD.
REV. R. H. BOYD, D. D.
The National Baptist Publishing Board, located at Nashville, Tenn., is, beyond doubt, the largest and by far the best equipped printing plant operated by colored people. This establishment was started for the purpose of giving some of the enormous amount of printing done for the colored people, in the way of Sunday-school literature and regular church publications, into the hands of the race, in order that employment might be given to those who were already competent printers, and at the same time encourage others to learn the trade. Rev. R. H. Boyd, D. D., is the general secretary. He has shown himself a very active and efficient man in his place. The success of this enterprise has far surpassed their most sanguine hopes. The board does all kinds of printing, even book work of a high order. I think it no more than fair to them and the public that I give here a part of the secretary's yearly report for 1900 and a part of 1901:
"The work of our Publishing Board has been conducted this year on the same plan as the past four years, by a board of managers, a secretary, treasurer and general manager. The literary department has been conducted by an editor-in-chief, with an editorial staff. We are glad to say that every department of this work has been conducted on strict business principles. Our board has held three meetings in the rooms of the publishing house, examining the machinery and plant thoroughly, and has appointed an auditor, who has gone carefully over all of the books and accounts and attached his certificate to each quarterly report rendered by the Publishing Board. We are glad to say that the work is no longer an experiment, but a reality. We have the best and most thoroughly equipped publishing plant in America owned and operated by negroes. In our judgment, seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) is a very low estimate for this plant, for if it were capitalized for one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) it would pay a reasonable dividend. This plant has only a small debt, and this is mostly on the real estate. It is strange that all of this has been paid for out of the profit arising from the business, and yet the Publishing Board has made large appropriations each year to missions.
"Last year we called your attention to the fact that there had been so great an increase in the volume of business that we were compelled to make general improvements. We did not expect, however, at the time to make the improvements so extensive, but the great enthusiasm created by the delegates on returning from the convention at Richmond aroused such interest everywhere, that the volume of business has far surpassed the most sanguine expectations of the most hopeful friend of the Publishing Board.
"The improvements begun last year are fully completed. We have also added a machine known as the arithmometer and two typewriters to our clerical department. We have added one roller backer machine and one book and pamphlet trimmer, together with a great deal of bookbinders' appliances to our bindery. We have added one more steam-engine and a full electric light plant to our power-house, three more printing presses to our press-room, a full set of linotype machinery, together with a large supply of printing material to our composing-room.
"The greatest need to-day of our publishing plant is more room. We occupy three brick buildings, one, two and three stories respectively. These are crowded to their utmost capacity, and yet the board has work of its own and uncompleted contracts which are more than ninety days behind.
"THE BUSINESS DEPARTMENT.
"This department is almost exclusively under the management of the secretary and general manager, who has conducted the business in such a way as to challenge the admiration and confidence of the commercial world, bringing respect and honor to the denomination and credit to himself. We are glad to say that his careful business management has brought almost unlimited credit to our publishing concern in commercial circles.
"It would be well under this head to call the attention of the members of the convention to the profits or income arising from this business to the denomination. By referring to our financial statement, it will be seen that after meeting all expenses of publication the Publishing Board was able to pay cash for $6,000 worth of machinery, which will stand as a permanent fund, and has an uncollected account standing out in open accounts and negotiable notes to the amount of over $2,425.37, and still made an appropriation of over $8,000 to missions, thus showing that the Publishing Board is not only self-supporting, but has paid a dividend to the denomination this year of $16,425.37.
"Our Publishing Board is not only publishing pamphlets and Sunday-school magazines in their own name, but is really doing the work. All typesetting, presswork and binding is done by our own people. They are also engaged in real bookbinding. This is furnishing employment to a large number of skilled mechanics who could not obtain like employment in any other institution."
I am sure that the statements made by Secretary Boyd will be very encouraging to all who read them. One of the leading men in this great work is the Rev. E. C. Morris, D. D., who is president of the National Baptist Convention. He is a very progressive man, and has done much for the elevation of the colored people at large. From the fact that Rev. Morris has been president of the national convention for years shows the high esteem he is held in by the Baptist denomination.