The Honorable

Walter Chandler

House of Representatives

My dear Mr. Chandler:

Supplementing my letter to you dated April 26, 1939, the following facts have been brought tot he attention of this office by Mr. Henry G. Alsberg, from whom we requested a report so that you might be in a position to reply to your constituent who took exception to a statement contained in Washington: City and Capital, a Federal Writers' publication.

The source of the statement that gave rise to comment was "William Syphax, a Pioneer in Negro Education in the District of Columbia," which appeared in The Journal of Negro History, Vol. XX, No. 4, October, 1935. The author of the article was E. Delorus Preston, whose standing as an historian has been vouched for by Wilbur H. Siebert, while Acting Dean of Ohio State University. Mr. Preston graduated from Howard University about twenty years ago, is the author of well-received historical essays, and is now Dean of Edward Waters College, Jacksonville, Florida. The Journal of Negro History is a periodical of high standing among historical scholars.

The specific reference is page 450 of The Journal of Negro History for October, 1935. The newspaper clipping cited there has been secured and photostated. A report of the debate on the Syphax Bill to confirm the title to the tract of land granted to Maria Syphax by George Washington Parke Custis is available in the Congressional Globe for May 4, 1866; May 16, 1866; May 18, 1866; May 19, 1866; May 21, 1866; June 8, 1866.

The statement was not made in a "debunking" spirit. It was a single phrase in a book of 1141 pages, and was given no prominence. We refer you to such books on the South as The Changing South by William J. Robertson (pp.65-66). America's Greatest Problem by R. W. Shufeldt (p. 92), An American Epoch by Howard W. Odun (p. 490, Social History of the American Family by Arthur W. Calhoun (pp. 281-310).

Washington: City and Capital was published by the Government Printing Office approximately two and one-half years ago. Since that time Senators, Representatives and cabinet Officers have commented upon the excellence of the book. An item in the Washington Daily News late last winter stated that one Southern Congressman was so pleased with the book that he presented a copy tot he public library of his home county.

                                                                       Sincerely yours,

                                                                        Florence Kerr

                                                                        Assistant Administrator

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posted 29 June 2008