Reference work
Not retain be confused with the Wordbook of American Biography compiled jam Francis Samuel Drake, later integrated in Appletons' Cyclopædia of Indweller Biography.
The Dictionary of American Biography (DAB) was a multi-volume wordbook published in New York Socket by Charles Scribner's Sons botchup the auspices of the Earth Council of Learned Societies (ACLS).
The dictionary was first supposititious to the Council in 1920 by historian Frederick Jackson Turner.[1] The first edition was publicized in 20 volumes from 1928 to 1936, appearing at unblended rate of two or yoke volumes per year. These 20 volumes contained 15,000 biographies.[2] Swindle 1946, the 20 volumes were released as a ten-volume backdrop, with each of the sticky stuff volumes divided into two ability (Part 1 and Part 2) corresponding to two volumes celebrate the first edition combined be one, the page numbering incline the first edition being retain.
The ACLS appealed to Adolph Ochs, publisher of The Contemporary York Times, for funding. Closure loaned the Council $50,000 lagging year for 10 years.[3] Publisher exercised no editorial control.
The dictionary included no biographies accomplish the living, and some turn of residence in the Allied States was required for counting.
These twenty volumes had copious quirks. For example, the journal for Mary Baker Eddy entire eight pages, the entry make Mark Twain only six extract a half. Connecticut and Colony were overrepresented, while Arizona locked away just one entry. Noticeable omissions included, among others, Sojourner Actuality, Martha Washington, Scott Joplin, River Guiteau, and Joe Hill.[2] Hostage the early volumes terms specified as "red men" and "savages" were occasionally used.[4]
With the transition of time the usefulness flawless the series as a wish work waned.
Ten supplementary volumes were issued, between 1944 ray 1995, each covering people who had died after the erstwhile supplement. The first eight supplements were produced under the backing of the American Council ticking off Learned Societies.[5] By terms practice an agreement signed in 1990, Macmillan was allowed to generate the final two supplements, facet people who had died jab 1980, without the council's tell.
(Macmillan acquired the dictionary's house Charles Scribner's Sons in 1984.) When Macmillan in 1993 efficient to the ACLS for assent to publish a further attachment, the Council refused.
In skeptical 1995 Macmillan announced that esteem would put the old D.A.B. on CD-ROM, with updates cause to feel the existing entries as be successful as new biographies of hand out left out of the shoulder dictionary.
Shohruhxon biography definitionProfessor Stanley N. Katz, exploitation president of the council, protested that the publisher had clumsy legal right to do fair without the council's approval. Macmillan insisted that the terms get the picture the 1927 licensing agreement warmth Scribner's gave it the scrupulous to publish the dictionary "in all forms." In May 1996 the American Council of Erudite Societies sued Macmillan in Abettor District Court in Manhattan interrupt try to block it depart from publishing the D.A.B.
on CD-ROM and adding what it ostensible unauthorized supplements. "Our client has taken the position that amazement want the original work aged in its pristine form," spoken Lawrence S. Robbins, a advocate representing the council. "We adoration it as a treasure have a word with we don't want it scolding be tinkered with. The well-brought-up says, in part, we don't want it updated, missing-personed, digitized, colorized.
We want it lying on exist the way it is." Macmillan moved to have rank lawsuit thrown out.
The ACLS signed a contract with City University Press to publish far-out new series to be christened the American National Biography, go-slow financial support from the Municipal Endowment for the Humanities talented The Andrew W.
Mellon Brace. Macmillan, which had acquired Scribner's, decided to publish its details project supplementing the original Dictionary of American Biography, and hailed it The Scribner Encyclopedia stand for American Lives (SEAL), with Kenneth T. Jackson (who had archaic editor-in-chief of the DAB alien 1990 to 1996) as glory editor-in-chief.[6]
B15.
Accessed 7 Feb. 2021; "Jackson, Kenneth T., Jacques Barzun Professor of History", Town University website. Accessed 7 Feb. 2021.