Human Zoos - America's Forgotten History of Scientific Racism

Freak Shows

Freak shows are public displays of human “freaks of nature”—human being with rare or unique biological characteristics. Dating back centuries, freak shows became especially popular in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries when promoters, hucksters, and quacks turned them into an extremely profitable commercial enterprise in America and Europe. One of those who excelled at presenting freak shows was showman P.T. Barnum. After the emergence of Darwin’s theory of evolution, freak shows would often feature people who purported to be “missing links” between modern humans and their ape-like ancestors. Freak shows demeaned people who were different and dehumanized them for profit.

CATEGORY Freak Shows
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Human Zoos - America's Forgotten History of Scientific RacismDISCOVERY INSTITUTE presents "HUMAN ZOOS" narrated by ANDRES WILLIAMS featuring PAMELA NEWKIRK, OLUFEMI OLUNIYI, TED WILLIAMS, RICHARD WEIKART, JOHN WEST, & JAY RICHARDS written and directed by JOHN G. WEST edited by JOHN G. WEST & RACHEL ADAMS cinematography by KEITH PENNOCK & JESSE EASTMAN music by DONNIE ALAN
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