1895 J. TROUP TAYLOR. The Prophetic Families; or, The Negro: His Origin, Destiny and Status

An exceptionally scarce work by an overlooked and influential pro-slavery, pro-confederacy editor and writer from Georgia. In the run up to the Civl War, he was editor of the Georgia Times and Citizen. He took ownership in 1858, but its presses and premises were destroyed by General Sherman during the War. 

After the War, he continued to give himself to segregationist and anti-equality causes and initiatives. But he was not a marginal character. As late as 1894, he was serving as one of the secretaries of the Georgia State Congress. 

The present work is simply one of the most overtly horrible pro-slavery works we have handled. We have specialized in all things slavery for many years, but this may just take the klan-cake. He argues, even 40 years after the Civil War's end, even after there had already been black congressmen, that it was God's sovereign, sworn, and promised will that the "negro" would and should be an uneducated, unskilled, unequal human and doomed to a life of slavery . . . for the glory of God. It was, according to Taylor, his cursed nature and his inevitable destiny. He opines on the waste of white people's money attempting to educate the negro; of the absolute bliss negroes would feel if they would just surrender to their god-given nature as chattel. And he roots the whole thing in his reading of the account of Noah's sons. 

We've read these sentiments before, but somehow, Taylor states it so clearly, so unequivocally, so simply and so "biblically," it is especially jarring. Quite painful to read. 

The work itself exceedingly scarce with no auction records and no other examples in the trade we can locate. 

Taylor, J. Troup. The Prophetic Families; or, The Negro: His Origin, Destiny and Status. Atlanta, Georgia. Foote & Davies Printing Company. 1895. 108pp.

Good - condition in original wraps; stain affecting wraps only, minor chips to spine. Interiory very clean and sound with only minor toning and soft crease vertically down center. Corners turned throughout.