This African girl was exhibited in a human zoo in Brussels, Belgium, in 1958. [640 x 512]

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image showing This African girl was exhibited in a human zoo in Brussels, Belgium, in 1958. [640 x 512]

snoopysloth on April 1st, 2019 at 14:09 UTC »

Damn that's messed up. And to think that was only in the late 50s.

TiberiusHecktor on April 1st, 2019 at 15:03 UTC »

1958?! wtf

FantaToTheKnees on April 1st, 2019 at 15:14 UTC »

The Ministry of Colonies built the Congolese exhibit, intending to demonstrate their claim to have "civilized" the "primitive Africans." Native Congolese art was rejected for display, as the Ministry claimed it was "insufficiently Congolese." Instead, nearly all of the art on display was created by Europeans in a purposefully primitive and imitative style, and the entrance of the exhibit featured a bust of King Leopold II, under whose colonial rule millions of Congolese died. The 700 Congolese chosen to be exhibited by the Ministry were referred to by Belgians as évolués, meaning literally "evolved," but were made to dress in "primitive" clothing, and an armed guard blocked them from communicating with white Belgians who came to observe them. The exotic nature of the exhibit was lauded by visitors and international press, and even the Belgian socialist newspaper Le Peuple praised the portrayal of Africans, saying it was "in complete agreement with historical truth." However, in mid-July the Congolese protested the condescending treatment they were receiving from spectators and demanded to be sent home, abruptly ending the exhibit and eliciting some sympathy from European newspapers.[6]

Wiki on Expo '58.