John H. Van Evrie facts for kids

John H. Van Evrie (1814–1896) was a writer and publisher. He was born in Canada and later became an American physician. Van Evrie was known for defending slavery and for his writings on race. He edited a newspaper called the Weekly Day Book. He also wrote several books that spread ideas of scientific racism to many people.

Van Evrie believed that black people were naturally inferior to white people. He supported slavery in the United States. He also spoke out against abolitionism, which was the movement to end slavery. A historian named George M. Fredrickson called him "perhaps the first professional racist in American history."

Early Life and Work

John H. Van Evrie was born in 1814. He received a medical degree, but it's not clear how much he practiced as a doctor. Most of his time was spent writing and publishing his ideas. He owned a publishing company called Van Evrie, Horton & Company.

Van Evrie's Views on Race and Society

Van Evrie had very strong and controversial beliefs about race. He used ideas that were called "scientific racism" at the time. These ideas are now known to be false and harmful.

Beliefs About White Superiority

Van Evrie believed that black people were a "separate species" from white people. He thought that the differences between races were permanent. He even tried to use the Bible to support his ideas. He suggested that the story of Adam and Eve was only about the origin of white people. He thought black people had a different origin.

He also believed that a person's skin color showed their natural abilities. He claimed that black people could not express emotions in the same way as white people. From this, he wrongly concluded that black people could not feel emotions as deeply. He thought this meant they were not sensitive enough for civilization. Because of these false beliefs, he argued that black people needed to remain enslaved.

Van Evrie also claimed that all black people looked the same, while white people had more varied features. He used this false idea as "proof" of white superiority. He even used early studies of ethnology (the study of human races) to support his views. He believed that the size of a person's brain and other physical features showed their moral superiority or inferiority.

Views on Slavery

Van Evrie argued that slavery was necessary for white freedom. He claimed it allowed white people to avoid manual labor. This, he said, let them get an education, which he saw as the basis of freedom. He believed that having an "inferior race" (black people) allowed white people to be free from hard work.

He thought that the word "slavery" was wrong for the situation of black people in the Southern states. He believed that slavery was a natural and good condition for black people. He saw the relationship between an enslaved person and their master as being like a father and child. He claimed that laws in the South prevented mistreatment.

Van Evrie also believed that black people were useless without white people. He thought that free black people would eventually die out. He argued that slavery was good for the "civilization, progress, and general welfare of both races." He felt that ending slavery would be cruel to black people. He wrongly believed they were like "children forever" and could not plan for the future.

Ideas About Language

Van Evrie also claimed that black people had different "vocal organs" and a different language structure. He thought that black people could not speak English correctly. He compared the difference between black and white speech to the calls of different animals. He believed black people could only speak English by imitating white people. He even claimed that black people could not create music.

Against Abolitionism

Van Evrie called the movement to end slavery "free negroism." He disagreed with abolitionists who believed black people were like white people, just with different skin color. He thought anti-slavery ideas came from European aristocrats. He claimed these aristocrats wanted to distract from their own mistreatment of white working-class people.

He warned that ending slavery would force black people into unfair competition with white people. He also feared it would lead to the collapse of American democracy. He believed that after emancipation, black people would live off white people's labor. He also thought they would increase taxes by needing social programs. He even accused abolitionists of promoting miscegenation (mixing of races).

Beliefs About White People

Van Evrie believed that the greatness of the United States came from white people mixing with each other. He thought they should not mix with black or Native people. He argued that early English settlers in Virginia learned to see all white men as equal because they were around black people. He believed this idea of equality led to the American Revolution.

He also criticized class differences among white people. He thought it was wrong for some white people to be superior to others. He believed that American democracy ensured self-government for naturally equal white people. He feared that American civilization was threatened by northern capitalists and abolitionists.

Views on Multiracial People

Van Evrie saw the mixing of races as a violation of nature. He warned about the dangers of "mongrelism" (a term he used for people of mixed race). He believed that mixing races would lead to the decline of white characteristics. He also thought it would lower the overall quality of people.

Ideas About Indigenous People

Van Evrie believed that the brains of indigenous peoples of the Americas were larger than black people's brains but smaller than white people's. He claimed that ancient civilizations in Central and South America could not have been built by Native people. He thought this was because they lacked the brain size for such achievements. Instead, he suggested that white people had lived in the Americas earlier.

Influence of Van Evrie's Ideas

Van Evrie's ideas influenced other writers, like Edward A. Pollard. After slavery was abolished, Pollard used Van Evrie's theories about black inferiority. He agreed that white democracy needed black people to be completely under white control. Van Evrie was also mentioned by Hinton Rowan Helper in his book The Negroes in Negroland.

Van Evrie claimed that important politicians like Stephen A. Douglas and Alexander H. Stephens were influenced by his book Negroes and Negro "Slavery". He believed he had helped shape their views on race and slavery.

Some historians have different opinions on how much Van Evrie truly influenced others. Some say he was more of a commentator than a major force in the debate over race. Others note that his main contribution was the sheer volume of his writings on race.