Decades of Racism. The terrible history of Ota Benga.
Spending 3 years in America, I always wonder how African Americans managed to survive all the different ways of racism, both in the past and the present. Their stories make me completely scared.
I started to look for the cruelest cases of racism, like separate bathrooms, prohibition of interracial marriage, not being able to go to the same places as whites etc. All these stories make me think: is there anything worse than that? How can racism be so cruel? Will it ever end? Thinking about these questions, I came across one of the most terrible stories I had ever seen. One of the worst things I have ever read about. The story of Ota Benga.
I always knew that New York City is one of the most multicultural places, which also includes the vast influx of African culture. Just look at the one of districts with the largest black population, Harlem, which is also the home of people looking out for equality.
Meanwhile the racism continues to exist and spread, whether by the newly arrived immigrants, or by the different political movements and thoughts acquired by society over the years, or reverse racism. Racism was normalized in the times of slavery and has been taught as standard for generations over the years.
Many people refuse the idea that racism is still with us. Perhaps out of ignorance, lack of empathy or simply because they think it will never be a problem of their own, always others`.
Many believe that black people have limitations specific to their race. For example, they do not good look and their intellectual capabilities are lower than other. The philosopher Kant used to say, that blacks do not have any civilization skills: — “Blacks in Africa do not, by nature, have any feelings that rise above ridicule”.
The philosopher Hume challenged any other philosopher for citing a single example that any African shows any talent. Hume agreed with Kant about white people is smarter than Africans. “Among the millions of blacks who were deported from their countries, despite the fact that many of them were released, not a single one was found that presented something great in art or science, or in any other aptitude; among whites, on the other hand, those who, coming out of the lowest commoners, acquire a certain prestige in the world by virtue of excellent gifts, are constantly being thrown. So essential is the difference between these two human races, that it seems to be as great in relation to mental abilities as to the difference in colors. […] Blacks are very vain, but in their own way, and so rattling, that they must be beaten up” Kant (Scielo).
Seeing this reckless and racist narrative, we can imagine the cultural context and how the society looked at Oto Benga, an African from Congo, who arrived in New York City, where he was shown as an attraction of the Bronx Zoo.
Ota Benga arrived in the city around 1906. He was brought by a missionary and explorer of the African continent, Samuel Phillips Verner. Ota Benga came to America to be a zoological attraction. He was registered as a chimpanzee.
The explorer picked him, because he was black, tall (5’0”) and had shark teeth and he obviously could bring more visitors, therefore make more money to the zoo. An important piece of information: at this time, some years before Ota arrives, Columbia University, along with other researchers, studied the possibility of explaining the lack of intelligence and ability according to the ethnicity. Many of these theories were based on Darwin’s evolutionary theory.
They believed that Africans were descendants of monkeys directly. “We perceive them with the same eyes that we see blacks, as a kind of inferior man” (Voltaire). Ota Benga was placed the same location where the animals were. He was treated like a gorilla.
After 6 years on display Ota Benga committed suicide. He possibly suffered from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and phobias. In these years unimaginable things have happened to him. We can see how racism has no limits and can be incredibly cruel.
When we see so many philosophers who are nowadays studied and admired for their intellect, saying that the African is an inferior race, we can have an idea of how racism has been propagated and taught over the years. Organizations like the KKK are still functioning and gaining more and more members. This shows that racism will never end. Africans or Afro descendants have been exposed to so many humiliations that it has obviously resulted in traumas that cause them to have barriers.
But this is not true only for Africans. Everyone who experienced this kind of a trauma, can have a disturbed mind. Parents of African descendants must teach their children how to be a strong, how to create mindset that is not affected by stereotypes and persecution.
When I was visiting the zoo, observed the families watching animals, taking pictures, being happy. Probably many do not know how cruel this place was after slavery. Stereotypes are present in our actions and attitudes that often come with racism, and it cause a harm to any individual. Many of these actions are exposed in the media and reach all ages and social classes.
We live in a society of different races. We have almost all ethnicity in NYC and we are exposed for all the other cultures around and in some cases, we even adapt some parts of them. In general, the society has been changing. Socrates said, “To obtain a friendship from a dignified person, we need to develop the same qualities in ourselves that we admire.” The education is helping people to respect others. Socrates always emphasized that education is the solution to obtain a better world, but the change need start ourselves.
Work Cited
Andrade, Erico. “A opacidade do iluminismo: O racismo na filosofia moderna.” Pr. 28. “Scielo.” Agust.2017. http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-512X2017000200291#B18.
Newkirk, Pamela. “Spectacle: The Astonishing Life of Ota Benga”. P. 1–6. June.02.
