Francis Albert Clark

Francis Albert Clark (b 1867, NY | d 24 Feb. 1948, Philadelphia, PA), known as Professor Clark, husband of Ida Bell Benson and father of two sons, Francis Jr. and Granville, moved to Philadelphia ca. 1905 and served as choir director of multiple churches. He worked for B.F. Banes & Co., publishers, before starting his own company. Author of more than 50 hymns, he also notated and arranged hymns for Charles Tindley. He was music director for a 50th anniversary commemoration of the Emancipation Proclamation (1913) in Philadelphia. He compiled Songs of the Pilgrim Way (1915) for the A.M.E. Church, and Twelve Negro Spirituals for Men’s Voices (1937), and was involved with editing the A.M.E. Hymnal (1946). His obituary appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer on 28 Feb. 1948, p. 7.

—Chris Fenner, Hymns & Devotions for Daily Worship: African American Edition (2025).