The year was 1905, and Paris - the City of Lights, known for its art, culture, and smart people - did something really messed up. They set up a "human zoo" in one of their parks, the Jardin d'Acclimatation.
https://highland-8c0d23718c.printify.me/
Can you believe it? Instead of having regular animals, they put people from Africa and Asia in cages and made them into a freaky show for Parisians to come and stare at! These weren't just random people - they were whole families and communities, ripped from their homes and turned into a sick circus act.
Imagine the crowds of Parisians, all curious and maybe a little uncomfortable, gawking at these "natives" in their little enclosures. The displays were designed to make these people look super different and weird, to make the Parisians feel like they were better and more civilized. It was all about showing how the colonized folks were inferior and primitive, and that's why they deserved to be ruled over.
https://a.co/d/48Hr17z
This wasn't some secret thing either - the authorities were totally cool with it. The newspapers even wrote about it, though they probably didn't see anything wrong with it back then. There are even photos of this whole messed up situation, showing the sad faces of the people on display and the crowds staring at them.
The "human zoo" wasn't just a one-time thing either. It happened in other parts of Europe too, because the people back then were super racist and thought colonizing other countries was okay. But having it happen in Paris, a city known for being so advanced, just makes it that much more shocking and disappointing.
https://a.co/d/f1YAczF
Together, we can ensure the legacy of the "human zoo" is one of hard-won progress, not ongoing tragedy. We owe it to those who suffered, and to the generations that will come after us, to create a more just and equitable world. What do you say, partner? Are you ready to be a part of that change?
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