Written by: Tiffany Westry
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Pamela NewkirkNew York University journalism professor Pamela Newkirk will explore issues of humanity, race and identity in America’s past and present, through the story of a young Congolese man who was captured and put on display at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair as part of a free lecture in Heritage Hall on Friday, Sept. 18.
In her latest book, titled “Spectacle: The Astonishing Life of Ota Benga,” Newkirk recounts the story of Ota Benga, who was captured in the early 20th century by Samuel Phillips Verner. Benga was brought back and put on display at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. Presented as an “African Pygmy,” he was one of 10,000 people exhibited at that year’s fair. Eventually, Benga was placed in the Primate House of the New York Zoological Gardens, where he was held captive for 20 days. The attraction became an international sensation, drawing thousands of New Yorkers and commanding headlines from across the nation and Europe.
Newkirk will present the lecture, hosted by the UAB College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of History and the UAB Institute for Human Rights, at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, in Heritage Hall, Room 102. The event is free to the public. A book signing and a reception will follow the lecture. Copies of the book will be available for purchase.
Newkirk carefully investigates the details of Ota Benga’s captivity, the international controversy it inspired, and his efforts to adjust to American life. The book also reveals why, decades later, the man most responsible for his exploitation would be hailed as his friend and savior, while those who fought for Benga have remained in the shadows of history.