Peoples on Parade : Exhibitions, Empire, and Anthropology in Nineteenth-Century Britain

In May 1853, Charles Dickens paid a visit to the “savages at Hyde Park Corner,” an exhibition of thirteen imported Zulus performing cultural rites ranging from songs and dances to a “witch-hunt” and marriage ceremony. Dickens was not the only Londoner intrigued by these “living curiosities”: displayed foreign peoples provided some of the most popular public entertainments of their day. At first, such shows tended to be small-scale entrepreneurial speculations of just a single person or a small group. By the end of the century, performers were being imported by the hundreds and housed in purpose-built “native” villages for months at a time, delighting the crowds and allowing scientists and journalists the opportunity to reflect on racial difference, foreign policy, slavery, missionary work, and empire.__Peoples on Parade__ provides the first substantial overview of these human exhibitions in nineteenth-century Britain. Sadiah Qureshi considers these shows in their entirety—their production, promotion, management, and performance—to understand why they proved so commercially successful, how they shaped performers’ lives, how they were interpreted by their audiences, and what kinds of lasting influence they may have had on notions of race and empire. Qureshi supports her analysis with diverse visual materials, including promotional ephemera, travel paintings, theatrical scenery, art prints, and photography, and thus contributes to the wider understanding of the relationship between science and visual culture in the nineteenth century.Through Qureshi’s vibrant telling and stunning images, readers will see how human exhibitions have left behind a lasting legacy both in the formation of early anthropological inquiry and in the creation of broader public attitudes toward racial difference. In May 1853, Charles Dickens paid a visit to the “savages at Hyde Park Corner,” an exhibition of thirteen imported Zulus performing cultural rites ranging from songs and dances to a “witch-hunt” and marriage ceremony. Dickens was not the only Londoner intrigued by these “living curiosities”: displayed foreign peoples provided some of the most popular public entertainments of their day. At first, such shows tended to be small-scale entrepreneurial speculations of just a single person or a small group. By the end of the century, performers were being imported by the hundreds and housed in purpose-built “native” villages for months at a time, delighting the crowds and allowing scientists and journalists the opportunity to reflect on racial difference, foreign policy, slavery, missionary work, and empire. Peoples on Parade provides the first substantial overview of these human exhibitions in nineteenth-century Britain. Sadiah Qureshi considers these shows in their entirety—their production, promotion, management, and performance—to understand why they proved so commercially successful, how they shaped performers’ lives, how they were interpreted by their audiences, and what kinds of lasting influence they may have had on notions of race and empire. Qureshi supports her analysis with diverse visual materials, including promotional ephemera, travel paintings, theatrical scenery, art prints, and photography, and thus contributes to the wider understanding of the relationship between science and visual culture in the nineteenth century. Through Qureshi’s vibrant telling and stunning images, readers will see how human exhibitions have left behind a lasting legacy both in the formation of early anthropological inquiry and in the creation of broader public attitudes toward racial difference. Peoples On Parade Provides The First Substantial Overview Of These Human Exhibitions In Nineteenth-century Britain. Sadiah Qureshi Considers These Shows In Their Entirety -- Their Production, Promotion, Management, And Performance -- To Understand Why They Proved So Commercially Successful, How They Shaped Performers' Lives, How They Were Interpreted By Their Audiences, And What Kinds Of Lasting Influence They May Have Had On Notions Of Race And Empire. Qureshi Supports Her Analysis With Diverse Visual Materials, Including Promotional Ephemera, Travel Paintings, Theatrical Scenery, Art Prints, And Photography, And Thus Contributes To The Wider Understanding Of The Relationship Between Science And Visual Culture In The Nineteenth Century. Through Qureshi's Vibrant Telling And Stunning Images, Readers Will See How Human Exhibitions Have Left Behind A Lasting Legacy Both In The Formation Of Early Anthropological Inquiry And In The Creation Of Broader Public Attitudes Toward Racial Difference.--publisher's Website. Introduction : Ladies And Gentlemen, I Bring You- -- Pt. 1. Street Spectacles. Glimpsing Urban Savages ; Artful Promotion -- Pt. 2. Metropolitan Encounters. Managing Performance ; Recruiting Entertainers ; Interpreting Exhibitions -- Pt. 3. The Natural History Of Race. Transforming Unfruitful Wonder ; The End Of An Affair -- Conclusion : Afterlives. Sadiah Qureshi. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Contents......Page 8 Introduction: Ladies and Gentlemen, I Bring You . . .......Page 10 Part One: Street Spectacles......Page 22 1: Glimpsing Urban Savages......Page 24 2: Artful Promotion......Page 56 Part Two: Metropolitan Encounters......Page 108 3: Managing Performance......Page 110 4: Recruiting Entertainers......Page 135 5: Interpreting Exhibitions......Page 164 Part Three: The Natural History of Race......Page 192 6: Transforming “Unfruitful Wonder”......Page 194 7: The End of an Affair......Page 231 Conclusion: Afterlives......Page 280 Acknowledgments......Page 294 Appendix: Terminology......Page 296 Abbreviations......Page 297 Notes......Page 298 Bibliography......Page 352 Index......Page 386 In May 1853, Charles Dickens paid a visit to the & ldquo;savages at Hyde Park Corner, & rdquo; an exhibition of thirteen imported Zulus performing cultural rites ranging from songs and dances to a & ldquo;witch-hunt & rdquo; and marriage ceremony. Dickens was not the only Londoner intrigued by these & ldquo;living curiosities & rdquo;: displayed foreign peoples provided some of the most popular public entertainments of their day. At first, such shows tended to be small-scale entrepreneurial speculations of just a single person or a small group. By the end of the century, performers were being imported