It is true that, daily and hourly, the press of the country grinds out matter of one kind or another pertaining to the Negro. Much of this is characterized by shallowness and levity, and deals in an exaggerated way with their crimes and foibles while that which deals with the achievements and accomplish ments of the better and more successful element of the race passes almost unrecorded and without notice. We are not unmindful that there have appeared from time to time important publications from the hands of capable writers which are true to life and of incalculable value; but they touch only here and there the broader field which in this work we are endeavoring to cover with some thoroughness.