John Rogan | Son of a Slave and Tallest African American

John Rogan

John Rogan was born on February 16, 1865 in Hendersonville, Tennessee. He was the son of a former slave. And, his story is quite unique.

You see, John was a very, very tall man. Much taller than the average black man in America. They used to call him Bud.

Birth and Birth Place

John “Bud” Rogan’s birth came just two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. In that year, the Civil War effectively ended. So, you can probably imagine what life was like for African Americans in the United States around that time. Try this, imagine how emotional of a roller coaster your life would be if you lived during that time. Now, imagine how many more ups and downs come along while growing into the second tallest man in recorded history.

His father was a former slave named William Rogan. And, John was far from being an only child. In all, William Rogan had twelve children. Of those 12, Bud Rogan was the fourth born. Unfortunately, there is no official record of who John Rogan’s mother was. I found that odd because, typically, it’s the other way around. However, this is a testament to the lack of technology and poor record keeping of the day.

An interesting note about John Rogan’s birth place is the Donelson House. That it is where Daniel Smith Donelson, his wife, and their 11 children lived until 1857 (8 years before John’s birth). President Andrew Jackson was Donelson’s uncle. U.S. Navy Secretary John Branch was his father-in-law. Meanwhile, Donelson served as a major general in the Confederate States Army. The house still stands in Hendersonville.

Big John Rogan

Until around the age of 13, John “Bud” Rogan lived a pretty normal life. At least, as much as cold be considered normal for a young black man during those times. However, at 13 things began to change. He began to start growing at a very rapid pace.

Hands

John Rogan’s hands were, to say the least, much bigger than the average man’s hands. Doctors measured the length of John Rogan’s hands at 11 inches (28 cm). Length, in terms of hands, is measured from the tip of the longest finger to the crease under the palm. The average man boasts a hand length of 7.6 inches. That’s a Difference of 3.6 inches. Rogan’s hands were a full 50% longer than the average American man’s hands.

Feet

Just like his hands, John Rogan’s feet were larger than average as well. However, the difference was nowhere near as great as it was with his hands. His feet measured 13 inches (33 cm) in length. The average man (at a height of 5’10”) has feet about 11 inches long. So, Rogan’s feet were about 2 inches longer than the average man’s. Oddly enough, they were actually shorter in length than a lot of the tallest men who were several inches shorter than him.

Height

Rogan was one of less than 20 known people in the world to reach a height of 8 feet that had recorded and verified medical history to prove it. In fact, at one time, he was officially the tallest person ever in human history. At his tallest measurement, John Rogan was 8 foot 9 inches tall. He held the title of tallest man until another American, Robert Wadlow, took the title away coming in at 8 feet 11 inches.

John Rogan Measurements Compared to Average

The Negro Giant

By the time John Rogan had reached the age of 34, he had reached a height of 8 ft 6 in. Obviously, this made him a popular public figure. Because of this, he gained the moniker of the “Negro giant”.

He was not able to earn money with physical labor because of his physical condition. However, his skill as an artist allowed him to earn an income. The combination of talent and fame allowed him to sell the drawings that he made. The newspaper published a number of his drawings. In addition to that, he used himself as the subject in self-portraits and postcards. He sold them at the train station to curious travelers interested in a memento.

Unable to walk, Rogan got around on a cart. He made it for himself and used goats as his propulsion system. When you think about it, that was actually pretty ingenious.

John was always the center of attention. People liked to be around him. One reason may have been his playful attitude. He was reported as having a way with people and always making them smile. He is also remembered for his very deep voice. and playful attitude.

With all of that going for him, it was no wonder why others could see him as a cash cow. Rogan received a multitude of offers to make a living as a freak. Although he used his condition to earn a meager living, he had his limits. There was a point he was unwilling to go beyond. He had his dignity. For that reason, he declined the offers to join the carnival and side shows as a freak.

His Physical Condition

John’s rapid growth lead to a condition called ankylosis. Already accustomed to walking only with the aid of crutches, by 1882, he could not stand or walk at all.

Ankylosis

John Rogan suffered from Ankylosis or Ankylosing Spondylitis. The condition has no known specific cause. However, medical professionals have determined that certain genetic factors seem to be involved. Particularly, people who possess the HLA-B27 gene. Those who do face a much greater risk of developing ankylosing spondylitis. Fortunately, not everyone who possesses the gene will develop the condition. It only happens with some of them.

The condition is a form of painful, ongoing joint inflammation. In essence, it is a type of chronic inflammatory arthritis. And, it primarily affects the victim’s spine. 

Often, as in John Rogan’s case, adjacent bones unite or fuse by the growth of bony substance. Ultimately, in the back, calcium deposits spread to the ligaments and discs between the vertebrae. This leads to the fusion of the spine. In other body parts, it least to joint immobilization. By excising a completely ankylosed shoulder or elbow, doctors often temporarily restore free mobility and usefulness to the limb.

Brain Fog

Another challenge that Rogan probably had to deal with was brain fog. Brain fog is not an actual medical condition. However, it is a symptom of chronic arthritis conditions like ankylosing spondylitis. Simply put, ankylosis flare ups transmit to and receive signals from pain receptors. Those signals have the ability to interfere with an individual’s normal brain function.

John Rogan’s Death and Burial

At the age of 40, John Rogan died on September 12, 1905 in Gallatin, TN. Medical professionals contributed the cause of death to complications of ankylosis. By the time of his death, he had lost most of his mobility. Complications of his disease made even the most simplest tasks extremely difficult to perform.

John Rogan’s family buried him in the family yard. They had solid concrete laid over top of his grave to prevent anyone from tampering with the body. They knew that just as he was the source of fascination in life, he would have continued to be one in death had they allowed it. He remains, in American history, the tallest person of African descent.

Peace and Blessings!