The debate focuses on Pastor Wilson’s book “Black and Tan”, but remember that he had an earlier book, “Southern Slavery As It Was”, for which he has never apologized or admitted any errors in. Some of the more inflammatory quotes from that work:

“Slavery produced in the South a genuine affection between the races that we believe we can say has never existed in any nation before the War or since.”

“Slavery as it existed in the South was not an adversarial relationship with pervasive racial animosity. Because of its dominantly patriarchal character, it was a relationship based upon mutual affection and confidence. There has never been a multi-racial society which has existed with such mutual intimacy and harmony in the history of the world.”

“One could argue that the black family has never been stronger than it was under slavery. It was certainly stronger under the southern slave system that it is today under our modern destructive welfare state.”

“Ironically, if slavery had not been so pleasant an experience for the majority, this mentality would not likely have such a strong hold upon the minds of some of their descendants today.”

“And nothing is clearer — the New Testament opposes anything like the abolitionism of our country prior to the War Between the States. The New Testament contains many instructions for Christian slave owners, and requires a respectful submissive demeanor for Christian slaves.”