John H. Van Evrie

John H. Van Evrie was an American physician and a prominent proponent of scientific racism, best known for his role as the editor of the Weekly Day Book and for his controversial writings on race and slavery. His works, which included titles that defended the institution of slavery, sought to popularize racist ideologies that emphasized the supposed inferiority of Black people compared to their white counterparts. Van Evrie's views were characterized by a lack of scientific rigor, even by the standards of his time, and he became known as one of the earliest figures in American history to advocate for such beliefs, earning him the label of 'perhaps the first professional racist in American history' from historian George M. Fredrickson. In addition to his editorial work, Van Evrie was the proprietor of Van Evrie, Horton & Company, a publishing house that disseminated his ideas. He vehemently opposed abolitionism and was critical of class distinctions among white people, arguing against the oppression of the white working class. His writings often featured a peculiar use of language, notably placing the terms 'slave' and 'slavery' in quotation marks, reflecting his belief that these terms did not accurately describe the condition of enslaved individuals. Van Evrie's legacy is marked by his controversial stance on race and slavery, which contributed to the broader discourse on these issues in 19th-century America.