Joice Heth (c. c – c. 1756 – February 19, 1836)[1] was an African-American woman who was exhibited by P.T. Barnum with the false claim that she was the 161-year-old nursing mammy of George Washington. Her exhibition under these claims, and her public autopsy, gained considerable notoriety.
Little is known of Heth's early years. In 1835, she was held as a slave by John S. Bowling and exhibited in Louisville, Kentucky.[2] In June 1835, she was sold to promoters R.W. Lindsay and Coley Bartram.[2] Lindsay introduced her as having been the childhood nurse of George Washington, but, lacking success, he sold her in her old age to P.T. Barnum.[2][3] Posters advertising her shows in 1835 included the lines, "Joice Heth is unquestionably the most astonishing and interesting curiosity in the World! She was the slave of Augustine Washington, (the father of Gen. Washington) and was the first person who put clothes on the unconscious infant, who, in after days, led our heroic fathers on to glory, to victory, and freedom. To use her own language when speaking of the illustrious Father of this Country, 'she raised him'. Joice Heth was born in the year 1674, and has, consequently, now arrived at the astonishing age of 161 years".[4]
Poster advertising Joice Heth
She was, toward the end of her life, blind and almost completely paralyzed (she could talk, and had some ability to move her right arm)[5] when Barnum started to exhibit her on August 11, 1835, at Niblo's Garden in New York City.[3][6] For skeptics that discounted the legitimacy of Heth's age, her body aided in the belief of her exaggerated age. Harriet Washington states that at the time of her display, Heth had a very small frame, deep wrinkles, was toothless, and had fingernails that resembled talons. Washington explains that Heth's toothless mouth was a result from Barnum forcefully extracting her teeth so that she would look older.[7] As a 7-month traveling exhibit for Barnum, Heth told stories about "little George" and sang a hymn.[8] Eric Lott claims that Heth earned the impresario $1,500 a week, a princely sum in that era (equivalent to $39,000 in 2021).[9] Barnum's career as a showman took off.[10] Her case was discussed extensively in the press. As doubt had been expressed about her age, Barnum announced that upon her death she would be publicly autopsied. She died the next year in Bethel, Connecticut, at the home of Barnum's brother Philo.[1][6] Barnum stated that Joice's remains were "buried respectably" in his home town of Bethel, CT.[11]
Public autopsy
Joice Heth died in New York City on February 19, 1836, aged around 79. To gratify public interest, Barnum set up a public autopsy.[12] Barnum engaged the service of a surgeon, Dr. David L. Rogers, who performed the autopsy on February 25, 1836, in front of fifteen hundred spectators in New York's City Saloon, with Barnum charging admission of US$0.50 (equivalent to $12.34 in 2021).[2] When Rogers declared the age claim a fraud, Barnum insisted that the autopsy victim was another person, and that Heth was alive, on a tour to Europe. Barnum later admitted the hoax.[3]
^Washington, Harriet A. (2006). Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present. New York: Anchor Books. pp. 86, 87, 88, 89, 92. ISBN978-0-7679-1547-2.
^Freed cites this to Phineas T. Barnum, Barnum's Own Story, ed. Waldo R. Browne (Massachusetts: Peter Smith, 1972), p. 49.
^"P.T. Barnum", Britannica Eleventh Edition mentions the claim to have been nurse of George Washington and lists his exhibiting her as the first significant event in Barnum's career.
^The Life of P.T. Barnum: Written By Himself. Originally published 1855. Reprint ed., Champaign: University of Illinois Press, 2000. ISBN0-252-06902-1.
^Reiss, Benjamin (2001). The Showman and the Slave: Race, Death and Memory in Barnum's America. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. p. 3. ISBN978-0-674-00636-2.
References
Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Barnum, Phineas Taylor" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 03 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 417.
Joel Benton. Life of Phineas T. Barnum at Project Gutenberg, Edgewood Publishing, 1891; accessed December 3, 2007. The most detailed of these accounts, including information about Barnum's purchase of Heth, a detailed description of her appearance, how Barnum exhibited her, etc.
Boese, Alex. "Joice Heth". Hoaxes.org. from the original on April 5, 2017. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
Freed, Robin. . MA candidate, University of Virginia American Studies Department. Archived from the original on May 18, 2002. Retrieved April 8, 2007.
Washington, Harriet A. (2007). Medical Apartheid:The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on African Americans from Colonial Times to the Present. New York: Doubleday Press. pp. 86–90. ISBN978-0-19-507832-9.
External links
The Life of Joice Heth, the Nurse of Gen. George Washington, (the Father of Our Country) New York: The Author, 1835.
December 27, 2022
joice, heth, 1756, february, 1836, african, american, woman, exhibited, barnum, with, false, claim, that, year, nursing, mammy, george, washington, exhibition, under, these, claims, public, autopsy, gained, considerable, notoriety, bornc, 1756diedfebruary, 183. Joice Heth c c c 1756 February 19 1836 1 was an African American woman who was exhibited by P T Barnum with the false claim that she was the 161 year old nursing mammy of George Washington Her exhibition under these claims and her public autopsy gained considerable notoriety Joice HethBornc 1756DiedFebruary 19 1836 aged 79 80 New York New York United States Contents 1 Biography 2 Public autopsy 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksBiography EditLittle is known of Heth s early years In 1835 she was held as a slave by John S Bowling and exhibited in Louisville Kentucky 2 In June 1835 she was sold to promoters R W Lindsay and Coley Bartram 2 Lindsay introduced her as having been the childhood nurse of George Washington but lacking success he sold her in her old age to P T Barnum 2 3 Posters advertising her shows in 1835 included the lines Joice Heth is unquestionably the most astonishing and interesting curiosity in the World She was the slave of Augustine Washington the father of Gen Washington and was the first person who put clothes on the unconscious infant who in after days led our heroic fathers on to glory to victory and freedom To use her own language when speaking of the illustrious Father of this Country she raised him Joice Heth was born in the year 1674 and has consequently now arrived at the astonishing age of 161 years 4 Poster advertising Joice Heth She was toward the end of her life blind and almost completely paralyzed she could talk and had some ability to move her right arm 5 when Barnum started to exhibit her on August 11 1835 at Niblo s Garden in New York City 3 6 For skeptics that discounted the legitimacy of Heth s age her body aided in the belief of her exaggerated age Harriet Washington states that at the time of her display Heth had a very small frame deep wrinkles was toothless and had fingernails that resembled talons Washington explains that Heth s toothless mouth was a result from Barnum forcefully extracting her teeth so that she would look older 7 As a 7 month traveling exhibit for Barnum Heth told stories about little George and sang a hymn 8 Eric Lott claims that Heth earned the impresario 1 500 a week a princely sum in that era equivalent to 39 000 in 2021 9 Barnum s career as a showman took off 10 Her case was discussed extensively in the press As doubt had been expressed about her age Barnum announced that upon her death she would be publicly autopsied She died the next year in Bethel Connecticut at the home of Barnum s brother Philo 1 6 Barnum stated that Joice s remains were buried respectably in his home town of Bethel CT 11 Public autopsy EditJoice Heth died in New York City on February 19 1836 aged around 79 To gratify public interest Barnum set up a public autopsy 12 Barnum engaged the service of a surgeon Dr David L Rogers who performed the autopsy on February 25 1836 in front of fifteen hundred spectators in New York s City Saloon with Barnum charging admission of US 0 50 equivalent to 12 34 in 2021 2 When Rogers declared the age claim a fraud Barnum insisted that the autopsy victim was another person and that Heth was alive on a tour to Europe Barnum later admitted the hoax 3 See also EditHuman zoo Sarah Baartman John Smith subject of another longevity hoaxNotes Edit a b Joice Heth Hoaxes org a b c d Heth Joice 17 19 Feb 1836 American National Biography Oxford University Press Retrieved March 12 2015 subscription required a b c Washington Harriet A 2006 Medical Apartheid New York Doubleday p 86ff ISBN 0 385 50993 6 Joice Heth Poster 1835 Benton 1891 a b Freed Joice Heth Washington Harriet A 2006 Medical Apartheid The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present New York Anchor Books pp 86 87 88 89 92 ISBN 978 0 7679 1547 2 Freed cites this to Phineas T Barnum Barnum s Own Story ed Waldo R Browne Massachusetts Peter Smith 1972 p 49 Lott 1993 P T Barnum Britannica Eleventh Edition mentions the claim to have been nurse of George Washington and lists his exhibiting her as the first significant event in Barnum s career The Life of P T Barnum Written By Himself Originally published 1855 Reprint ed Champaign University of Illinois Press 2000 ISBN 0 252 06902 1 Reiss Benjamin 2001 The Showman and the Slave Race Death and Memory in Barnum s America Cambridge MA Harvard University Press p 3 ISBN 978 0 674 00636 2 References EditChisholm Hugh ed 1911 Barnum Phineas Taylor Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 03 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 417 Joel Benton Life of Phineas T Barnum at Project Gutenberg Edgewood Publishing 1891 accessed December 3 2007 The most detailed of these accounts including information about Barnum s purchase of Heth a detailed description of her appearance how Barnum exhibited her etc Lott Eric 1993 Love and Theft Blackface Minstrelsy and the American Working Class New York Oxford University Press pp 76 78 ISBN 0 19 507832 2 Boese Alex Joice Heth Hoaxes org Archived from the original on April 5 2017 Retrieved December 10 2017 Freed Robin Joice Heth MA candidate University of Virginia American Studies Department Archived from the original on May 18 2002 Retrieved April 8 2007 Washington Harriet A 2007 Medical Apartheid The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on African Americans from Colonial Times to the Present New York Doubleday Press pp 86 90 ISBN 978 0 19 507832 9 External links EditThe Life of Joice Heth the Nurse of Gen George Washington the Father of Our Country New York The Author 1835 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Joice Heth amp oldid 1108622709, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
