Advertisement for the “World Business Directory of Negroes”, Published by the Lost Art Society, 1932
- Stapled booklet of four double-sided pages, measuring 3 ½ x 5 ½ inches
- Vincennes, Indiana: Lost Art Society, 1932
Vincennes, Indiana: Lost Art Society, 1932. Stapled booklet of four double-sided pages, measuring 3 ½ x 5 ½ inches. Near fine.. A booklet advertising a forthcoming “World Business Directory of Negroes”, which was to be put out by the “Lost Art Society”. This was the project of Earnest William Evans (1879–1948); his obituary states that he was born in Sweetwater, Tennessee, and was a master plumber.[1] The booklet is not itself a directory but rather gives a rationale for creating the Lost Art Society and describes what its activities will be. The name seems to be inspired by the following reasoning:
“Our fore-fathers and mothers control[led] the labor of cotton fields, barber shops, bootblacks, laundry work, horsemen, cooks, kitchens, draymen—all by black-folks. It has all been taken away; faded as the flowers; a dream, and vanished.”
In other words, the “lost art” in question was that of economic self-determination. In response, the Lost Art Society would take money to charter chapters, and use the funds both for helping Black businesses and for paying out life insurance to members. There was also to be a meeting of the National Lost Art Society in 1934. It is unclear whether any of Evans’ plans came to fruition, as there do not appear to be newspaper records for the “Lost Art Society” or its national meeting.
We find no copies of the booklet in OCLC. Of interest to historians of Black capitalism.
[1] “Ernest W. Evans Dies After Long Illness,” Lawrence County News, May 6, 1948, 5.
“Our fore-fathers and mothers control[led] the labor of cotton fields, barber shops, bootblacks, laundry work, horsemen, cooks, kitchens, draymen—all by black-folks. It has all been taken away; faded as the flowers; a dream, and vanished.”
In other words, the “lost art” in question was that of economic self-determination. In response, the Lost Art Society would take money to charter chapters, and use the funds both for helping Black businesses and for paying out life insurance to members. There was also to be a meeting of the National Lost Art Society in 1934. It is unclear whether any of Evans’ plans came to fruition, as there do not appear to be newspaper records for the “Lost Art Society” or its national meeting.
We find no copies of the booklet in OCLC. Of interest to historians of Black capitalism.
[1] “Ernest W. Evans Dies After Long Illness,” Lawrence County News, May 6, 1948, 5.