Simon

As part of the Mbuti pygmy people, Ota Benga lived in the Congo Free State. As he was out hunting for animals, his tribe was attacked by King Leopold II of Belgium to exploit the supply of rubber in Congo. Benga's wife and his two children were murdered. Benga was later captured and was sold to an American businessman Samuel Phillips Verner who had traveled to Africa to capture pygmies for the World Fair. Verner then took Benga to the Bronx Zoo where William Hornaday, director of the zoo, recruited Benga to help maintain the animal habitats. However, when he saw that people took more notice of Benga than the animals, he created an exhibition to feature Benga. Benga was placed in the Monkey House exhibit and was encouraged to shoot his bow and arrow at various targets. African Americans protested the exhibit and James H. Gordon said, “our race is depressed enough without exhibiting one of us with the apes. We think we are worthy of being considered human beings, with souls.” Toward ...