214 300
THE FIRST INTERRACIAL KISS ILLUSTRATED
385
●
(MEDICINE.) FOOTE, DOCTOR EDWARD BLISS.
Science in Story.
Sammy Tubbs, the Boy Doctor, and Sponsie, the Troublesome Monkey.
Copious
engraved illustrations. 5 volumes, uniform brick red cloth, blocked in black and gilt; all
edges tinted red; all volumes dated 1874, but IV, dated 1876.
A FINE
,
BRIGHT SET
.
New York: Murray Hill, 1874, 1876
[1,500/2,500]
The author of this series, Doctor Edward Bliss Foote (1829-1906), physician, birth control and pub-
lic hygiene advocate, was also an abolitionist and civil rights advocate. This series of books introduces
children to medicine, anatomy and the reproductive system via a young black man and his pet, a
“troublesome monkey.” In so doing, Foote breaks a number of taboos in Volume V, by both discussing,
and illustrating the female anatomy—- and wildly revolutionary for 1874, discussing and again illus-
trating his protagonist, Sammy, a young black man, not only involved with, but kissing a white
girlfriend. Doctor Foote had enough sense to offer a choice regarding the illustration of the female
plumbing. A note at the top of page “180
1
⁄
2
” offers one the option of tearing that page out, while leav-
ing a less graphic and offensive description on page 180.
He did not however deem it taboo enough to skip the illustration of Sammy in a tight, kissing
embrace with Miss Barkenstir (page 205). All the more revolutionary, because Sammy had hitherto
been involved with and kissing Miss Milward, a young lady of color (page 144). Foote goes into the
fact that Miss Barkenstir’s father was plenty angry about the relationship, but ducks out of further dis-
cussion by saying, “As neither of these stories need to concern us, we will dismiss them as rumors of
passing interest.” Sets of four are not uncommon, sets of five, with volume five complete and un-bowd-
lerized, are rare.