FIRST COMPLETE CHOCTAW NEW TESTAMENT (1848): A LANDMARK OF NATIVE LANGUAGE PRINTING

RARE. Only one copy has ever sold at auction in 1927. 

[Alfred Wright, Cyrus Byington, et al, translators]. The New Testament of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Translated into the Choctaw Language. Pin Chitokaka Pi Okchalinchi Chisvs klaist in Testament Himona, Chahta Anumpa Atoshowa Hoke. New York: American Bible Society, 1848. 

16mo, pp. 1-818, in Choctaw. Original calf. FIRST EDITION OF FIRST COMPLETE NEW TESTAMENT IN CHOCTAW. Bibliographical Check List of North and Middle American Indian Linguistics, Choctaw 9; Darlow & Mouse, Vol. II, pt. 1, 3051; Pilling, Bibliography of the Muskhogean Languages p. 101; 

Alfred Wright (1788-1853) first began his mission to the Choctaw in Mississippi in 1819. With the removal of the Choctaw Nation to their newly designated lands in Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) in 1831, Wright followed and established the Wheelock School. 

Cyrus Byington (1793-1868) began working with the Choctaw in Mississippi in 1821 and relocated during the forced relocation. His lifelong passion was developing a Choctaw orthography and lexicon in order to translate the Bible and other religious works. 

Met with popularity, the translation was published continuously until at least 1913, with the second edition printed in 1854.

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Scuffing and wear, especially to corners, joints and spine (some losses).