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The MUSE BROTHERS- The two black albino brothers from Roanoke, Virginia is unique even in the bizarre world of sideshow.
They were initially exploited and then later hailed for their unintentional role in civil rights.
Born in the 1890’s the pair were scouted by sideshow agents and kidnapped in 1899 by bounty hunters working in the employ of an unknown sideshow promoter. Black albinos, being extremely rare, would have been an extremely lucrative attraction.
They were falsely told that their mother was dead, and that they would never be returning home.
The brothers began to tour. To accentuate their already unusual appearance, their handler had the brothers grow out their hair into long white dreadlocks. In 1922 showman Al G. Barnes began showcasing the brothers in his circus as White Ecuadorian cannibals Eko and Iko.
When that gimmick failed to attract crowds the brothers were rechristened the ‘Sheep-Headed Men’ and later, in 1923, the ‘Ambassadors from Mars.They traveled with the Barnes circus for a long while. The brothers also toured with Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus in the 1920’s.
In 1927, their mother tracked them down and demanded their release.
However, the Muse brothers missed circus life, so they returned to show business. During their first year back they played Madison Square Garden and drew over 10,000 spectators. In the 1930’s the brothers toured Europe, Asia and Australia.
They performed for royals and dignitaries, including the Queen of England. George Muse died in 1971, but Willie lived until 2001 and died at the age of 108.
I love this thread.
Walker Evans photo of Atlanta’s “Negro Quarter,” 1936
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at their exploitation.
that they lived long lives.
c/s.
the remnants of an old slave quarters that looks EXACTLY like this is located about 5 miles from where i'm typing this right now.
If I'm reading your thoughts correctly.
Do you mean Simpson Road sir?
no sir... i'm speaking on Laurel Valley plantation.
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Japanese-American human rights activist, Yuri Kochiyama.
She cradled Malcolm X’s head as he laid dying.
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Washington, D.C., circa 1916. “Slaves reunion. Lewis Martin, age 100; Martha Elizabeth Banks, age 104; Amy Ware, age 103; Rev. Simon P. Drew, born free.” Cosmopolitan Baptist Church, 921 N Street N.W.
black people are STRONG today bc black people were even STRONGER back then.
tapatalk: Samsung Tablet
WOW!!!
You ain't even lying.
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Edward Bouchet (1852 – 1918) was the first African-American to earn a Ph.D. from an American university and the first African-American to graduate from Yale University in 1874. He completed his dissertation in Yale's Ph.D. program in 1876 becoming the first African-American to receive a Ph.D. (in any subject). His area of study was Physics. Bouchet was also the first African-American to be elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
Bouchet was also among 20 Americans (of any race) to receive a Ph.D. in physics and was the sixth to earn a Ph. D. in physics from Yale
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Thomas L. Jennings (1791–1856) was an African American tradesman and abolitionist. He was a free black who operated a dry-cleaning business in New York City, New York and was the first African American to be granted a patent. Jennings' skills along with a patent granted by the state of New York on March 3, 1821 for a dry cleaning process called "dry scouring" enabled him to build his business. He spent his early earnings on legal fees to purchase his family out of slavery, and supporting the abolitionist movement. In 1831, Jennings became assistant secretary to the First Annual Convention of the People of Color in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which met in June, 1831.
Jennings' patent resulted in a considerable amount of controversy. The U.S. patent laws of 1793 stated that "the master is the owner of the fruits of the labor of the slave both manual and intellectual," thus slaves could not patent their own inventions, the efforts would be the property of their master. Thomas Jennings was able to gain exclusive rights to his invention because of his status of being a free man. In 1861 patent rights were finally extended to slaves.