Daniel Murray and his wife were very influential members of the Washington's social elite. Requests for Mrs. Murray's support and aid to advance the civic and educational programs, as noted in her correspondence, give evidence of her influence and respect in the community. Daniel Murray began his illustrious career at the Library of Congress in 1871 and rendered exceptional service until his retirement fifty-one years later. It was during his long tenure that he was assigned "curator" of a Negro collection that was prepared for the Paris Exposition of 1900, which was later called the Murray collection". He published a bibliography of the collection entitled Preliminary List of Books and Pamphlets by Negro Authors, which was a landmark bibliography of the American Black experience.
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1852 March 3:
Born in Baltimore, Md. son of George and Eliza (Wilson) Murray.
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1869:
Graduate from the Unitarian Seminary in Baltimore.
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1871:
Began career at the Library of Congress.
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1874 -
1897
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Appointed personal assistant to Ainsworth R. Spofford, Librarian of Congress.
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1879 April 2:
Married Ann Evans of Oberlin, Ohio - fathered seven children.
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1880:
Appointed Assistant Librarian during his tenure of service at the Library of Congress - he did research on his proposed six volume work Historical and Biographical Encyclopedia of the Colored Race Throughout the World.
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1900:
Published Preliminary List of Books and Pamphlets by Negro Authors for the Paris Exposition and the Library of Congress
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1921:
Collaborated in writing Banneker, The Afro-American-Astronomer.
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1922:
Retired after over fifty-one years of service at the Library of Congress.
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1925:
Died in Washington, D.C.
From the guide to the Daniel Alexander Murray Papers, 1872-1937, (Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Howard University)
