“Oh Lord God, we know that we cannot do everything, but help us to do something.”
These are the words of the late Carl Murphy, Publisher of the AFRO-American Newspapers. Murphy’s authentic conversations with God have been credited with helping him and many others to navigate the turbulent waters of Jim Crow, two World Wars, the Great Depression, the Civil Rights Movement, and other stormy times.
Murphy shared his fervent prayers with family, friends, the community, and the AFRO-American Newspapers. Through his strongly rooted faith in God, Murphy gave people hope and a desire to persevere – despite the seemingly impossible challenges they faced.
More than 100 of Murphy’s original prayers, along with his many proverbs and words of wisdom were collected and compiled by his granddaughter Dr. Frances ‘Toni’ Murphy Draper. The collection is featured in her new book, “Prayer and Pen: The Prayers and Legacy of Carl Murphy, Publisher of the AFRO-American Newspapers (1922-1967).”
Walking in her grandfather’s footsteps, Dr. Draper is the current Publisher of the AFRO, which has been in existence since August 13, 1892, when John Henry Murphy Sr., a former slave who gained freedom following the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, started the historic publication.
“My grandfather wrote about what was going on in the lives of Black people during that time and what was going on in family life,” said Dr. Draper. “He wrote about children, sometimes he wrote about holidays, he wrote about seasons, and many other things. This was something I wanted to do, and it took a while to compile everything, but this was a labor of love.”
Released in time for Black History Month, “Prayer and Pen” is a weaving of personal reflections and prayers that eloquently illustrates Murphy’s remarkable legacy as a family patriarch and businessman defined by the solace and strength found in consistent prayer.
“My grandfather wrote prayers every day,” said Dr. Draper. “Sometimes, they were just one line. We always sat down and ate meals together. He would say the grace and he always prayed. He was a very spiritual man. He wrote a prayer for the March on Washington, and he wrote a prayer after the March on Washington. In this book, I pulled the AFRO’s coverage from the March on Washington and provided a summary of how the paper approached covering the March and its significance.”
Dr. Draper said she often recites her grandfather’s prayers, and for years people have been suggesting his timeless and powerful words also be immortalized through a book.
“My grandfather’s prayers are really profound,” she said. “They are still relevant today, because they’re not time-bound.”
Murphy, who was born in 1889 and passed away in 1967, served as Publisher and Chief Editor of the AFRO for 49 years. Under his leadership, the AFRO became one of the most widely circulated, most influential, and most financially successful African American Newspapers in the country. In addition to his professional work, Murphy was a civil rights activist, working with the likes of Charles Houston and Thurgood Marshall to desegregate public schools and colleges. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Howard University and a master’s degree from Harvard University.
Dr. Draper served as Senior Pastor of Freedom Temple AME Zion Church for 20 years before retiring. A businesswoman and minister, she serves as the First Vice Chair of the National Newspaper Publishers Association as well as on several other boards.
Along with historic photos, “Prayer and Pen” also includes a foreword from another one of Murphy’s granddaughters, Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, the first woman bishop in the AME church and now President/General Secretary of the National Council of Churches.
“The book has been well-received,” said Dr. Draper. “My hope is that the book will inspire readers to preserve their own family traditions and history, while emphasizing the resilience and strength of past generations. Given the current state of things, people need to be reminded that the same God who brought us through back then, is the same God that will bring us through today, and the same God that will bring us through tomorrow.”
“Prayer and Pen: The Prayers and Legacy of Carl Murphy, Publisher of the AFRO-American Newspapers (1922-1967)” is published by Our Daily Bread Publishing. The book sells for $19.99 and is available in hardcover and Kindle formats on Amazon and Christian bookstores. The book can also be purchased online at https://ourdailybreadpublishing.org/prayer-and-pen.html.