Journalist Pamela Newkirk on the Astonishing Life of Ota Benga
The 1904 Saint Louis World’s fair is best known to Birminghamians as the place where Vulcan debuted, before moving to his permanent home on Red Mountain.
But it was also host to a controversial exhibit displaying thousands of humans from around the world. Among them was a young Congolese man named Ota Benga. He was captured by former missionary Samuel Phillips Verne and brought to America for the exhibit.
Benga’s story is the subject of the new book Spectacle: The Astonishing Life of Ota Benga by journalist Pamela Newkirk. She told WBHM’s Rachel Lindley about Ota Benga’s life, and the cultural mindset that led to his captivity.
Newkirk presents a free lecture on Friday, September 18 at 1:30 pm in UAB’s Heritage Hall, Room 102. The lecture is hosted by the UAB College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of History and the UAB Institute for Human Rights.
On ‘The Life of a Showgirl,’ Taylor Swift feels love’s glow and the spotlight’s glare
On her 12th album, the most dominant pop star of our era makes a spectacle of herself in full flower, in love and holding the music industry in the palm of her hand.
FDA approves another generic abortion pill, prompting outrage from conservatives
Drugmaker Evita Solutions announced on its website that the Food and Drug Administration signed off on its low-cost form of the pill, which is approved to end pregnancies through 10 weeks.
As the shutdown drags on, the threat of permanent cuts is mired in politics
President Trump is meeting with his budget director, Russ Vought, about what additional cuts to make during the shutdown, and the president says his targets are partisan.
Pope Leo’s religious community is drawing renewed interest. Here’s what makes it unique
"Before, we might get two or three discerners. But after Pope Leo, I now have 15. It's unbelievable."
The CDC still hasn’t issued COVID vaccine guidelines, leaving access in limbo
Access to the COVID-19 vaccines remains difficult because of an unusual and unexplained delay by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in accepting recommendations from its advisers.
National Guard presence may deter crime, but experts warn of the long-term costs
As President Trump ramps up efforts to send federal officers and troops into cities, criminologists are watching closely. Are the feds doing this in a smart way?