"No Future in This Country" Named to the "Best New Rhetoric Books"

We are pleased to announce that "No Future in This Country: The Prophetic Pessimism of Bishop Henry McNeal Turner" has been named BookAuthority's Best New Rhetoric Book. BookAuthority collects and ranks the best books in the world, and it is a great honor to get this kind of recognition. Thank you for all your support!

No Future in This Country: The Prophetic Pessimism of Bishop Henry McNeal Turner is a history of the career of Bishop Henry McNeal Turner (1834–1915), specifically focusing on his work from 1896 to 1915. Drawing on the copious amount of material from Turner’s speeches, editorials, and open and private letters, Andre E. Johnson tells a story of how Turner provided rhetorical leadership during a period when America defaulted on many of the rights and privileges gained for African Americans during Reconstruction. Unlike many of his contemporaries during this period, Turner did not opt to proclaim an optimistic view of race relations. Instead, Johnson argues that Turner adopted the prophetic persona of a pessimistic prophet who not only spoke truth to power but, in so doing, also challenged and pushed African Americans to believe in themselves.