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Bookmark or Share- Freak Shows in the United States (1840-1940) - Disability HistoryFor one hundred years (1840 – 1940) the freak show was one of America’s most popular forms of entertainment. Today the same shows would be considered unacceptable and cruel, or as one disability rights activist put it, “the pornography of disability.”
- Freak show - WikipediaA freak show is an exhibition of biological rarities, referred to in popular culture as " freaks of nature". Typical features would be physically unusual humans, such as those uncommonly large or small, those with intersex variations, those with extraordinary diseases and conditions, and others with performances expected to be shocking to viewers.
- Freak Show - HubPagesUnusual human beings have been exhibited in public since antiquity. The first traveling "freak show" appeared in 1738 in Europe. Curiosity seems to be the motivating factor of the audiences. For over 100 years, carnival and circus freak shows were immensely popular in America.
- Freak show | Entertainment, Human Oddities & Social Impact - BritannicaAlthough the collection and display of such so-called freaks have a long history—the exploitation of African slave Sarah Baartman and of the “Elephant Man” Joseph Merrick are prime examples— the term freak show refers to an arguably distinct American phenomenon that can be dated to the 19th century.
- The Myths Of The Victorian Freak Show | HistoryExtraThe freak show transformed marginalised individuals into extraordinary figures who lived both triumphant and tragic lives. Its legacy is complex, but its significance should not be ignored. The Victorian freak show was a central part of Victorian society, and remains an important part of disability history.
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