PUBLIC OPINION

NOTE OF COMMENDATION.

By the Rev. Dr. Ernett Lyon, D. D., L.L. D., Former Minister to

Liberia.

The author of this useful directory, Mr. Robert W. Coleman, de-
serves not only the confidence and sympathy of a generous public,
but the gratitude of his race. The fact that he is suffering from
the impairment of sight will help to further ingratiate him in public
favor. Many men, thus afflicted, would have been content to be a
recipient of charities; but this young man of genius and energy re-
fused to beg his way through life. He conceived the idea that a
directory of the professional, clerical, skilled and business people
of the colored race in the city of Baltimore was a necessity; and so
it was, for up to this time, there was no such institution for ac-
curately locating the business and professional men operating in the
city. This idea readily commended itself to a number of well dis-
posed men and women, who immediately saw an opportunity to aid
an afflicted, but worthy, young and struggling man to independence
and usefulness. The first edition attracted State wide attention and
commendation from prominent men among both races, and now
Coleman's Directory is a necessity, and among the indispensibles
of every public and business institution. I, therefore, take delight
and pleasure in commending not only the book, but the spirit of
manhood and self-reliance, which prompted the author in his effort
to (maintain himself against physical complications. Mr. Coleman
has been appointed a member of the Colored Division of the Mary-
land Council of Defense.

War Department,

Washington.

February 15th, 1918.
Mr. Robert W. Coleman,
1830 Lorman St.,

Baltimore, Maryland.
Dear Mr. Coleman:

I write to say that the National Business League is always pleased
to make note of such enterprises as you are fostering. I hope that
your Business Directory of Baltimore may receive the cordial sup-
port of the business and professional classes of Baltimore. The cir-
culation of your booklet should prove incalculably helpful in fos-
tering race pride, and at the same time bring about that encourage-
ment of negro business so devoutly to be welcomed.
Yours very sincerely,

EMMETT J. SCOTT,

Secretary National Negro Business League, Tuskegee, Ala.

Department of Commerce

Bureau of the Census.

Washington.

Mr. Robt. W. Coleman,

Baltimore, Md.
My Dear Sir:

I take pleasure on behalf of the Library of Congress to acknowl-
edge the receipt of your directory of the Colored Professional, Cler-
ical, Skilled and Business Directory of Baltimore City, and further
to say it will be bound and placed in the collection of books by col-
ored authors and compilers.

It is the first publication of its kind ever recorded by a student of
a blind institution.

Thanking you most heartily for the same, I beg to remain,
Very sincerely yours,

DANIEL MURRAY,

Assistant Librarian, Library of Congress.