works by Murphy and other prominent writers
such as LANGSTONHUGHES. With this work, Mur-
phy established herself as one of the few American
women who published compilations of primary
works by African Americans. The volume was a
companion piece to other compilations such as the
celebrated ALAINLOCKEanthology NEWNEGRO
(1925), Robert Kerlin’s study NEGROPOETS AND
THEIRPOEMS(1923), and the WALTERCLINTON
JACKSONand NEWMANIVEYWHITEvolume AN
ANTHOLOGY OFVERSE BYAMERICANNEGROES
(1924).
Negro Voiceswas the first of three anthologies
that Murphy published during her career. She once
described anthologies as “something like a bowl of
mixed chocolates,” a treat that individuals could
“dig into... and find almost any kind which suits
your fancy.”
Murphy’s second anthology, Ebony Rhythm,
appeared in 1948. Her third poetry collection, en-
titled Today’s Negro Voices: An Anthology by Young
Negro Poets,was published in 1970.
Bibliography
Murphy, Beatrice. Negro Voices: An Anthology of Contem-
porary Verse.New York: Henry Harrison, 1938.
———. Ebony Rhythm: An Anthology of Contemporary
Negro Verse.1948, reprint, Salem, N.H.: Ayer Com-
pany, 1988.
———. Today’s Negro Voices: An Anthology by Young
Negro Poets.New York: Messner, 1970.
Negro World
The official publication of the UNIVERSALNEGRO
IMPROVEMENTASSOCIATION(UNIA), the organi-
zation that MARCUSGARVEYestablished in 1914.
It became a popular publication and could boast of
a readership of some 200,000 in its best years.
The first issue of the weekly newspaper ap-
peared in NEWYORKCITYon August 17, 1918, a
date that also was Garvey’s birthday. The editors
and reporters were prominent activists and in-
cluded Garvey, who was actively involved through
the early 1930s. HUBERTHARRISON, the founder
of the Liberty League and the man who invited
Garvey to make his first address in New York, also
served as editor of the paper, as did WILFRED
ADOLPHUSDOMINGO, a West Indian nationalist.
Amy Jacques Garvey, the second wife of Marcus
Garvey, served as associate editor from 1924 to- Duse Mohammed Ali, Garvey’s mentor,
served as a foreign affairs expert for a period. The
intellectual John E. Bruce also was a regular con-
tributor to Negro World.
In 1923 Garvey and his editors developed a
Spanish-language section; one year later, Negro
Worldalso included a French-language section as
well. The paper sold for five cents in New York
City, seven cents elsewhere in the United States,
and ten cents abroad.
The paper was extremely popular and en-
joyed an international readership. Its black na-
tionalist message, however, was thoroughly
critical of colonial rule and philosophies. As a re-
sult, the publication was banned in several
colonies in the Caribbean and in Africa. Travel-
ers, students, and seamen of color often smuggled
copies of the paper into circulation and thus dis-
seminated Garvey’s fervent messages about black
emancipation and political triumph despite gov-
ernment prohibitions.
The regular features of the newspaper in-
cluded an editorial by Garvey, coverage of current
events, and news about UNIA events and cam-
paigns. The editors published articles by prominent
Harlem Renaissance–era figures such as W. A.
Domingo, T. THOMAS FORTUNE,ZORA NEALE
HURSTON,ERICWALROND, and ARTHURSCHOM-
BURG.Negro Worldalso publicized works by emerg-
ing writers. In 1922, for instance, it celebrated the
publication of BATOUALA, the award-winning
novel by RENÉMARAN, the first person to publish
a novel on the experiences of Africans living under
French rule.
The paper ceased publication in 1932. It re-
sumed publication again for a brief period in Octo-
ber 1933, but Garvey officially disbanded the
newspaper later that year.
Bibliography
Cronon, E. David. Black Moses: The Story of Marcus
Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Associ-
ation. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press,
1987.
Garvey, Amy J., ed. Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus
Garvey.New York: The Universal Publishing House,
1923–1925.Negro World 379