Saartjes Baartman, a Black domestic, left Southern Africa in 1808 to find fame and fortune in Europe with her boss Hendrick Caesar. Instead, she was exhibited as a freak in a humiliating carnival show, forced to mimic savagery and expose her body in carnivals, salons, and brothels.
Black Venus
In 19th-century Europe, a African woman is exhibited as a curiosity, sparking intense discussions about racial bias and cultural exploitation.
