About this item
In 1904, Ota Benga, a young Congolese "pygmy" - a person of petite stature - arrived from central Africa and was featured in an anthropology exhibit at the St. Louis World's Fair. Two years later, the New York Zoological Gardens displayed him in its Monkey House, caging the slight 103-pound, 4-foot 11-inch tall man with an orangutan. The attraction became an international sensation, drawing thousands of New Yorkers and commanding headlines from across the nation and Europe. Spectacle explores the circumstances of Ota Benga's captivity, the international controversy it inspired, and his efforts to adjust to American life. It also reveals why, decades later, the man most responsible for his exploitation would be hailed as his friend and savior, while those who truly fought for Ota have been banished to the shadows of history.
About the Author
Pamela Newkirk is a journalist, professor, and multidisciplinary scholar whose work traverses history and journalism.Her latest book, Diversity Inc.: The Failed Promise of a Billion-Dollar Business, examines why, after five decades of diversity studies, training and conversations, many institutions have failed to diversify their workplaces. Her previous book, Spectacle: The Astonishing Life of Ota Benga was completed while she was a Leon Levy Biography fellow. The book was selected as the Best Book of 2015 by NPR, The Boston Globe, and The San Francisco Chronicle; an Editor's Choice by The New York Times and won the NAACP Image Award and the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award. [Optional: she is on the journalism faculty at NYU and holds a PhD from Columbia University]
