Human Zoos Trailer

"Human Zoos" is a documentary that tells the story of how thousands of indigenous peoples were put on public display in America in the early decades of the twentieth century. Often touted as “missing links” between man and apes, these native peoples were harassed, demeaned, and jeered at. Their public display was arranged with the enthusiastic support of the most elite members of the scientific community, and it was promoted uncritically by America’s leading newspapers. The documentary also tells the story of a courageous group of African-American ministers who tried to stop one such 'Human Zoo' in New York City. The documentary features Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Pamela Newkirk, author of
"Spectacle: The Astonishing Life of Ota Benga." The documentary premieres at the Oregon Documentary Film Festival on Nov. 11, 2017 and will be released in 2018.