Episode 9 - Human Zoos

 Welcome back to History Unmuted, the podcast where we examine the stories that history often leaves out of the textbooks. Today we’re exploring one of the most disturbing spectacles of the modern age. For decades across Europe and the United States, millions of people visited exhibitions where human beings were displayed in reconstructed villages, staged environments, and fabricated cultural scenes. Visitors purchased tickets, walked through exhibition grounds, and watched men, women, and children from colonized regions as if they were living museum objects. 

History Unmuted is an educational podcast focused on historical research, interpretation, and discussion. Episodes may explore controversial topics, suppressed narratives, or historical perspectives that are debated among scholars.

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“Turning up the volume on suppressed facts.”

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:12

Welcome back to History Unmuted, the podcast where we examine the stories that history often leaves out of textbooks. In today's episode, we explore a disturbing but very real chapter of global history, human zoos. But before we begin, um, I do want to address the fact that my TikTok guests has been banned. I do have a second account. And in my second account, I did note that there will be changes coming to the podcast, which I'm excited to announce that there will be an additional co-host on the show. His name is Adam, and he is a longtime friend of mine, a super history buff, super cool. And I'm really excited to go on this journey with him. And I hope you guys are just excited with me. Additionally, um, we have been talking about expanding to YouTube and also Twitter. Like, please let me know like your thoughts and things, you know, on my TikTok. And um yeah, we're excited for this new journey. But I digress. Let's go ahead and get into it. Human zoos. So for decades during the 19th and early 20th centuries, millions of people across Europe and the United States attended these expeditions where human beings from colonized regions were displayed in reconstructed villages, staged environments, and fabricated cultural settings. These expeditions were presented as educational experiences, scientific demonstrations, and even entertainment for the public. Visitors paid admission, walked past enclosures, and observed people who've been transported from Africa, Asia, Pacific Islands, and the Americas. The concept of human zoos emerged at the intersection of empire, scientific racism, and rapid expansion of mass entertainment. It developed during a time when European powers controlled vast colonial territories and were actively seeking ways to justify their dominance. Anthropology, evolutionary theory, and radical classification systems were widely interpreted in ways that placed Europeans at the top of the supposed hierarchy of humanity. Expeditions of colonized people were framed as evidence of these ideas. And one of the earliest, most influential figures in the creation of these displays was a German entrepreneur named Carl Hagenbeck. Hagenbeck was originally known as an animal trader who supplied exotic animals to zoos across Europe. In the 1870s, he expanded his business model by exhibiting people alongside animals. His shows presented individuals from semi-communities and in northern Scandinavia, as well as in groups from Africa and Asia, performing daily activities that European audiences interpreted as evidence of primitive lifestyles. These expeditions were not small sideshows. They were large-scale productions that attracted enormous crowds. Entire villages were reconstructed inside expedition grounds, and participants were often required to wear traditional clothing, perform dances, cook food, and recreate scenes from daily lives under constant observation. Hagenbeck's expeditions became extremely popular and inspired similar displays across Europe. Soon they appeared in Paris, London, Berlin, Hamburg, Brussels, and other major cities. They were promoted as ethnographic expeditions that allowed visitors to see the cultures of distant lands without ever leaving Europe. At the same time, colonial powers were expanding their territories in Africa and Asia. As European empires grew, so did the demand for displays that showcased the people living in those colonies. These expeditions enforced the idea that colonized populations were fundamentally different from Europeans and required guidance, supervision, and control. By the late 19th century, human expeditions had become a regular feature of the world's fairs and international expositions. These massive events celebrated industrial progress, technological innovation, and imperial power. They were attended by millions of visitors and often included displays of colonized peoples as part of their attraction. One of the most significant of these events was the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris. This was the same world's fair that introduced the Eiffel Tower. Alongside demonstrations of engineering and industrial advancement, the fair included a reconstructive native village, where hundreds of people from French colonies were exhibited. Visitors watched as participants performed daily activities that were presented as examples of life in colonial territories. These displays were carefully staged. Organizers often controlled what participants could say, how they dressed, and what activities they performed. The goal was to create a simplified narrative that reinforced European ideas about cultural hierarchy and colonial superiority. Human expeditions were not limited to Europe. They also appeared in the United States, particularly in large national fairs. One of the most famous examples occurred in the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, officially known as the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. The St. Louis World's Fair was enormous. It covered more than 1,200 acres and attracted nearly 20 million visitors over several months. Among the many exhibits were displayed of people from the Philippines, which had recently become a territory of the United States after the Spanish-American War. One of the most controversial exhibits involved members of the Igorot community. And that's from Northern Philippines, and my apologies if I mispronounce that. Organizers constructed a simulated village where participants lived during the fair. Visitors watched them cook, build structures, and perform cultural practices that were presented as evidence of supposed cultural backwardness. Fair organizers emphasized one particular aspect of the Igorat culture that they believed would attract attention from American audiences. The preparation and conception of dog meat. Which, yeah, I know you've heard about Asians eating dog meat, and you wonder where that came from. Demonstrators were scheduled and advertised to draw crowds. The practice was framed as shocking and exotic, reinforcing the narrative that colonial rule was necessary to civilized colonized populations. Displays like these were deeply connected to the political goals at the time. The United States had recently begun establishing overseas territories, and many Americans were debating whether the country should be expanded, its influence beyond the continent. And expeditions of colonized people were used to shape public opinion about empire. At the same time, human expeditions were also linked to these scientific institutions. Like anthropologists and ethenologists were participated in these displays, collecting measurements and photographs and observations of these people being exhibited. They believed they were studying human diversity, but their work frequently reinforced racial hierarchies that were already widely accepted in society. These ideas were rooted in a framework known as scientific racism. Scientists and scholars attempted to classify human populations based on physical characteristics such as skull shape, skin color, and facial structure. These classifications were interpreted as evidence of evolutionary difference between groups of people. The concept of social evolution became particularly influential during this period. Some thinkers argued that societies progressed through stages of development from primitive to advanced. European societies were placed at the highest stage of this hierarchy, while other cultures were positioned lower on the scale. Human expeditions were presented as visual proof of these theories, and visitors were encouraged to observe and suppose differences between the cultures and interpret them as evidence of this evolutionary progress. Another example of these expeditions occurred during the 1897 Colonial Expedition in Brussels. It was organized by King Leopold II of Belgium, and the event was intended to promote Belgium's control over the Congo Free State. The Congo Free State had become notorious for extreme violence and exploitation under Leopold's rule. Rubber extraction quotas were enforced with brutal punishments, including mutilation and execution. While these abuses were happening in Central Africa, the colonial expedition in Belgium presented a very different image of the colony. Hundreds of Congolese people were brought to Belgium and displayed in these reconstructed villages, and visitors watched them perform daily activities while walking through the exhibit grounds, and signs and pamphlets describe these people as examples of colonial subjects benefiting from European guidance. The exhibit attracted more than a million visitors. However, the conditions for those being displayed were harsh. The Belgian climate was very different from the environment the participants came from, and several individuals died during the exhibit. Human exhibits were also common in Germany, where ethnographic displays became popular forms of entertainment. Hagenbeck's shows continued for decades and toured across Europe. They featured participants from numerous regions, including Sudan, Samoa, and the Arctic. In many cases, participants were recruited through intermediaries who promised travel opportunities or employment. And once they arrived to Europe, they were often required to remain within exhibit spaces and follow strict schedules for performances and demonstrations. Not everyone who participated in these exhibits experienced them the same way. Some individuals negotiated contracts and used the opportunity to travel and earn income, while others were coerced, misled, or placed in situations where they had little control over their circumstances. Regardless of individual experiences, the overall structure of human exhibits reinforced colonial power dynamics, and the people being displayed were treated as objects of curiosity rather than individuals with complex identities and histories. By early 20th century, human exhibits have spread widely across Europe and North America. They were appeared in amusement parks, traveling shows, museums, and, of course, world fairs. One of the most well-known and tragic stories connected with these exhibits involves a man named Otobanga. Odabanga was a member of the Matubi people of the Congo Basin. And in 1906, he was brought to the United States and eventually placed on display at the Bronx Zoo in New York City. Visitors gathered to observe him, and newspapers described the display as scientific curiosity. Some visitors laughed while others expressed discomfort with the exhibit. African-American ministers and community leaders quickly protested the display. They argued that the exhibit had a human being in a zoo degrading was degrading and just dehumanizing behavior. And after several weeks of public criticism, the zoo removed Benga from the exhibit. However, the experience had lasting consequences for him. Stories like Bangga's revealed how human exhibits were not simply forms of entertainment. They were part of a broader system that shaped how societies understood race, culture, and power. The popularity of these exhibits began to decline after World War I. Changing attitudes about race and growth of anti-colonial movements and new academic perspectives and anthropology all contributed to this shift. Anthropologists increasingly criticized the simplistic racial hierarchies that had dominated in earlier research, and scholars began emphasizing that cultural context rather than ranking societies on evolutionary scales. At the time, colonized people were organizing movements for independence across Asia and Africa, and these movements challenged the legitimacy of colonial rule and questioned the assumption that had supported it. It's unfortunate, but human exhibits did not disappear immediately. Some continued into the 1930s and even later, often framed as cultural performances rather than scientific displays. However, the idea of exhibiting people as living examples of racial hierarchy became increasingly unacceptable. Today, historians and scholars study human zoos as part of a history of colonialism, racism, and public spectacle. Museums and cultural institutions are beginning to examine this history more critically, acknowledging the harm caused by these exhibits. Understanding this history requires recognizing how ideas about race and cultures were constructed and promoted during the era of empire. Human exhibits were not isolated events. They were connected to a larger system of power that shaped global politics, economics, and social structures. Millions of people attended these exhibits. They played a significant role in shaping public perception of a world beyond Europe and North America. The images and narratives presented in these displays influenced how generations and visitors understood cultural differences. The legacy of human zoos also raises important questions about representation, dignity, and the responsibilities of institutions that present cultural history to the public. Examining this chapter of history allows us to see how ideas that were once seemed normal or acceptable can later be recognized as deeply harmful. It also highlights the importance of questioning the narratives that institutions and societies choose to promote. Human zoos were a product of their time, but they were also the result of deliberate choices made by organizers, scientists, governments, and audiences. The people who are displayed in these exhibits were not just symbols or curiosities, they were real individuals with families, languages, traditions, and histories that extend far beyond the exhibit grounds where they were temporarily placed. Their stories remind us that history is not only about events and institutions, it's also about the ones who lived these experiences and the people who are affected by the systems that shaped the world around them. And this is why we continue to examine these topics here on History Unmuted, is because the stories that are the hardest to confront are often the ones that reveal the most about how societies define humanity, power, and progress. Catch us next time with Adam and let's unmute history together.