Buzz
Although racism has increasingly been pushed to the outskirts of society and conversations around it have progressed, there are still many instances from the past that remain glossed over or ignored. The Civil Rights movement, the injustices surrounding the US Civil War, and similar events across Europe are frequently discussed, but some darker periods of racism are conveniently forgotten by history.
In the early 20th century, a disturbing practice known as 'living village exhibits,' or more crudely, 'human zoos,' emerged in both Europe and the United States. Marketed as a form of entertainment, these exhibits were degrading to the people showcased, often designed to highlight the supposed superiority of the white race.
10. The US Displayed Defeated Filipinos as a Spectacle
Following the war between the United States and the Philippines, the victorious U.S. sought to further humiliate their defeated adversaries by showcasing them as 'savages' in public exhibitions. This deeply angered many Filipinos, who still feel resentment over how their ancestors were treated. The timing of the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis aligned with the end of the conflict, making it an ideal setting for various living exhibits. Among these was a 47-acre display featuring many Filipinos from the Igorot tribe.
The Igorot tribe became infamous in part due to their occasional consumption of dog meat. In the living village exhibit, Igorots were forced to slaughter and butcher dogs repeatedly to entertain the crowds. This act was meant to reinforce an inaccurate stereotype, one that the tribe knew was false—dog meat was eaten sparingly, typically during certain ceremonies. While it may seem like history has moved on from these dark chapters, there are still those reflecting on this painful part of the past, even over a century later.
9. Native Americans Were Displayed Like Animals in European Exhibits
While many are familiar with the mistreatment of Native Americans throughout history, few realize the full extent of their suffering and how much has been concealed over time. In recent years, there has been a growing movement focused on historical accuracy, aiming to reveal that figures like Christopher Columbus were not the heroes they were once portrayed as in our textbooks. Although Columbus never set foot on what we now call the United States, he did come across nearby islands, inhabited by natives and filled with gold, which fueled his insatiable greed.
In addition to multiple voyages aimed at seizing vast amounts of gold from these islands, Columbus kidnapped hundreds of natives, bringing them back to be displayed as living exhibits—well before the more infamous human zoos came into existence. The first group of these captives tragically perished within six months, but Columbus’s cruelty persisted. He conducted further raids, and the death toll continued to rise. Hundreds of innocent lives were lost merely so that people back in Europe could have something to marvel at.
8. Montezuma Established the First Human Zoo
While Columbus is often remembered for putting people on display like zoo animals, it was actually the Aztec emperor Montezuma who first created large-scale exhibits filled with both people and animals. A ruler of great power, Montezuma became intoxicated by his authority, and in a move that might have shocked even the most tyrannical Roman emperors, he decided that his zoo, located in what is now Mexico City, would be even more intriguing with human exhibits.
Unlike the United States or European countries that displayed defeated foes as 'savages' to humiliate them, Montezuma's interest was more focused on genetic oddities and unusual individuals. This led him to establish what might be one of the first human zoos, which could also be seen as a 'freak show.' He exhibited albinos, hunchbacks, and dwarfs alongside various animals in his zoo.
7. The Jarawa Are Exploited for Safari Tourism
Though it may seem like a relic of the past to objectify and display different 'ethnic' groups for entertainment, the sad reality is that this practice is still prevalent in certain regions of the world. There are always individuals willing to pay significant sums to participate in the exploitation of native people for amusement.
The Jarawa people have lived on India’s Andaman Islands for countless years, maintaining limited contact with the outside world. India has enacted laws to protect indigenous peoples, and it is technically illegal to interact with them or treat them as zoo exhibits. However, certain businessmen, driven by profit, have found ways around these laws. Reports suggest that up to eight different safari companies have been offering illegal tours, specifically designed to bring tourists into contact with the Jarawa as part of the spectacle.
In one disturbing incident, police were accused of accepting a bribe to deceive the Jarawa into dancing for the entertainment of tourists. While the police deny forcing the Jarawa to dance, it is evident that they were being exploited for amusement in some way.
As if things weren't bad enough, one nearby island is home to the Sentinelese, arguably one of the least contacted human populations left on earth. Estimated to number only a few hundred, they live in complete isolation. Despite it being illegal to conduct safaris near the Jarawa or approach other islands, tourism companies continue to encroach on these sacred spaces, offering the allure of glimpsing these elusive people.
6. Human Villages Existed Until Very Recently
Today, France is recognized as a strong advocate for combating racism in Europe. Despite the recent attacks in Paris, the country has long been and will continue to be one of the most welcoming nations for those seeking asylum. Its laws provide some of the most robust protections in the world for minorities. Yet, many remain unaware of how recently minorities began to receive improved treatment, even in some of the most progressive nations. While protective laws exist, abuses still persist in the modern world.
As recently as 1994, France hosted a controversial exhibition featuring a 'living village' display with individuals from the Ivory Coast. Many of them had their passports taken by the exhibit's organizers and were forced to perform various 'ethnic' acts for the amusement of the audience, without any compensation. They were promised rewards by their community upon return, but nothing materialized.
The public outrage and international scrutiny led to the eventual shutdown of this exhibition. However, the fact that it was able to operate and persist for any length of time highlights how much more recent true progress has been than most people realize. While the idea of a human zoo would be unimaginable in France today, it was tolerated less than 20 years ago.
5. A Zoo Exhibit Created to Mock Human Zoos
In 2005, the London Zoo introduced an unusual exhibit featuring humans. This was not an effort to recreate historical events or to highlight Europe's past on the matter. In fact, the display was so lighthearted that it seemed to deliberately avoid confronting history. Instead, the aim was to demonstrate that humans are, in essence, primates, akin to apes and monkeys.
The exhibit drew many curious visitors, especially children, who found it puzzling and left with many questions for their parents. The humans on display were paid actors who were required to go home each night for legal reasons. They were dressed in bathing suits and fig leaves, adding a comedic touch to the display. While it may have been amusing for both the actors and the spectators, the reality of human zoos is anything but a joke.
4. Carl Hagenbeck Initiated the Trend
While many sought to profit from human zoos or use them as a means to demonstrate cultural superiority, Carl Hagenbeck was one of the pioneers of this trend. Unlike others, he was among the first to focus on exhibiting large groups of indigenous people alongside animals in zoo settings, rather than simply creating villages where native people acted out degrading stereotypes. He believed that having them in cages would create a more compelling spectacle.
Hagenbeck gathered individuals from across the globe and distributed them throughout various zoos as prized exhibits. One of his most famous displays featured several Inuit people housed at a zoo in Hamburg, Germany. He also had a friend who showcased a large group of Nubian people at another major European zoo, and a massive collection of Zulu and Bushmen displayed at the Paris Zoo.
Even Native Americans were not excluded from these degrading displays. In the United States, long after the Emancipation Proclamation, approximately 100 Sioux people were put on display at the Cincinnati Zoo.
3. Controversial Reenactments of Human Zoos
In 2014, a collective of Norwegian artists staged a historical reenactment of a human zoo exhibition originally held in their country in 1914. The original display involved forcibly bringing 80 black men and women to Oslo, where they were showcased and made to perform various 'ethnic' tasks for the amusement of tourists strolling through a specially designed village. While it wasn’t entirely unique, it was a typical living village exhibit for its time.
The artists behind the reenactment aimed to raise awareness among Norwegians who were unaware that such atrocities had taken place within their own country. Their goal was to remind the public that even nations known for their advocacy of human rights may still have a dark past lurking in recent history.
Another recent exhibit in Edinburgh, Scotland, titled “Plan B,” sought to highlight the various ways in which black individuals were exploited and displayed in human exhibits over time.
The reenactments sparked immediate controversy. Critics worried that, despite the project’s well-meaning intentions, children might fail to grasp the full complexity of the issue and could leave with a disrespectful attitude towards black people, possibly even bullying their black peers. Others expressed concerns that the actors involved were being exploited once more, echoing the historical abuse. Supporters, however, argued that telling black participants they were being taken advantage of was another example of white paternalism.
The black performers in the Plan B exhibit believed that audiences were mature enough to understand the significance of the issue and that discomfort was a necessary part of provoking thought—after all, you don’t challenge people’s thinking without making an impact. Nevertheless, many viewed such reenactments as a slippery slope that could lead back to the humiliating displays of the past.
2. The African Woman Was Displayed for an Extremely Degrading Reason
In the 19th century, a British doctor named William Dunlop visited Africa. On his return journey, he persuaded an African woman named Sartje (also spelled Saartjie) to accompany him. While he may have offered various reasons for her participation, it soon became clear that his true intention was to exhibit her due to her unusual physical characteristics. Her name was changed to Sarah Bartman (or Baartman) in an effort to Europeanize her identity. Sartje was then put on display across Europe, often for up to 11 hours a day, and was kept nude or semi-nude to highlight her unique traits.
Sartje suffered from a rare condition known as steatopygia, where there is an abnormal accumulation of fat around the buttocks and elongated genitalia. She was essentially paraded as a sideshow attraction and tragically died from smallpox and alcoholism shortly after. She was mocked mercilessly, and some scientists even questioned if she could be the "missing link", suggesting she might not even be fully human. After her death, her body was dissected.
These tragic accounts serve as a stark reminder of humanity's capacity for cruelty for the sake of entertainment and how much progress we’ve made in such a short time. Today, such actions would be entirely unacceptable.
1. A Pygmy Was Displayed Next To Primates
At just 23 years old, a pygmy named Ota Benga was brought to New York by an explorer named Samuel Phillips Verner. With little money to his name, Verner was offered a loaned apartment on the grounds of the Bronx Zoo. Benga had lived through experiences most couldn’t imagine in a lifetime—twice widowed, surviving a massacre, and previously enslaved. Despite a life that could rival any hero’s origin story, he was treated increasingly like an animal rather than with the dignity he deserved.
Benga was allowed to wander the zoo grounds but was encouraged to behave in ways that portrayed him as a savage. Eventually, he was tricked into enclosures to interact with the primates, being kept there against his will. Soon, he attracted large crowds and national attention, drawing curiosity and exploitation in equal measure.
The public was outraged by the blatant mistreatment of Benga, particularly when it was revealed that Verner considered pygmies to be an inferior race. Eventually, Benga was released from the cage, though he was still subjected to mockery and surveillance as he wandered the zoo. This constant harassment led to his violent outbursts—he brandished a knife at a zookeeper and injured several visitors with his bow and arrows. Unable to articulate his suffering in English, Benga's anguish only deepened.
Benga was eventually given the opportunity to work in a different environment, free from the crowds that treated him as a mere spectacle. For a time, he led a relatively peaceful life, holding various jobs and being treated with more dignity. Yet the emotional scars from his past, coupled with the overwhelming pressures of adjusting to an unfamiliar world, proved too much. After enduring years of inner turmoil, he tragically ended his life with a pistol.
