Selects: PT Barnum: More Complicated Than You've Heard

Key Takeaways

P.T. Barnum was a complex, controversial figure whose life extended beyond popular, often sanitized, portrayals.
He introduced 'humbug' and innovative marketing to America, masterfully using sensationalism and deception.
Barnum engaged in problematic and exploitative practices, including racist displays and the exhibition of individuals for profit.
Despite multiple financial bankruptcies, Barnum consistently recovered and innovated his entertainment ventures.
His views evolved from supporting segregation to becoming a vocal abolitionist and advocating for black citizens' voting rights.
Barnum founded 'The Greatest Show on Earth,' a traveling museum, menagerie, caravan, and circus.

The 2018 movie 'The Greatest Showman' was criticized for 'musical whitewashing,' glossing over darker aspects of Barnum's life.
Barnum is described as introducing pure hucksterism and marketing to America, a philosophy he termed 'humbug.'
His autobiography is noted as unreliable, and the quote 'a sucker is born every minute' is not definitively attributed to him.
Barnum's philosophy suggested people tolerate deception if they are also amused, revealing his approach to public entertainment.
His shows included discriminatory and exploitative elements, such as racist displays and exploiting people for profit, even by contemporary standards.

Barnum disliked manual labor, preferring enterprising endeavors like marketing and sales from an early age.
He demonstrated early talent by organizing a lottery with unsold store merchandise to generate income.
After facing rejection, Barnum started his own newspaper, the 'Herald of Freedom,' leading to a libel suit.
His newspaper venture resulted in a 60-day jail sentence but increased circulation and positioned him as a critic of corruption.
In 1834, Barnum moved his family to New York City after Connecticut banned lotteries.

Barnum's early attraction to show business was highlighted by his purchase and exhibition of Joice Heth at age 25.
He acquired Joice Heth, an enslaved woman, in 1835 for $1,000, promoting her as George Washington's 161-year-old nursemaid.
Barnum toured with Heth until her death in 1836, an act not depicted in 'The Greatest Showman.'
Following her death, Barnum charged for a public autopsy that revealed she was likely around 80 years old.
This deception inspired Barnum to intensify his focus on sensationalism.

Barnum began promoting Signor Antonio Antaniono, renaming him 'Senor Vivala' for free performances.
Despite Vivala's genuine talent as a plate spinner, general audiences showed less interest in paying to see him.
To generate buzz, Barnum offered $1,000 to anyone who could publicly perform Vivala's act.
Barnum, along with Roberts and Vivala, orchestrated staged competitions, including a plate-spinning rivalry, to generate revenue.

Barnum purchased Scudder's American Museum in New York in 1841 for $15,000, seeking stability in show business.
He rebranded it as Barnum's American Museum, which attracted 4,000 visitors daily with a 25-cent admission fee.
The museum's success was driven by innovative marketing and a vast array of exhibits, including dancers, musicians, and live animals.
The business model raised ethical concerns about the exploitation of performers and public gawking at human oddities.

In his revised autobiography, Barnum defended his 'humbug' and shameless exploitation, claiming superior advertising strategies.
His first successful museum exhibit was the Fiji Mermaid, a taxidermy creation promoted with fabricated testimonials.
Barnum achieved widespread success by promoting Charles Stratton, a little person he rebranded as General Tom Thumb.
He also brought Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind, the 'Swedish Nightingale,' to the United States in 1850.
Barnum profited significantly from Lind's tour despite high costs, and Lind donated her earnings to Sweden's public schools.

Barnum faced financial ruin from an investment in the Jerome Clock Company, leading to bankruptcy in the 1850s.
He recovered within five years by leasing his museum, resuming lectures, and acquiring unusual exhibits like a dead whale.
Initially a Jacksonian Democrat, Barnum became a vocal abolitionist and Union supporter around the Civil War.
His museum served as a platform for abolitionist speeches, leading to protests and death threats from Confederate sympathizers.
In April 1865, Barnum was elected to the Connecticut General Assembly, where he advocated for the 13th Amendment and black citizens' voting rights.

Barnum's museum and animals were destroyed by fire in 1865; he reopened a new museum, which also burned down three years later.
By the 1870s, Barnum partnered with William Cameron Coup to launch 'P.T. Barnum's Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan, and Circus' in 1871.
This venture evolved into 'The Greatest Show on Earth,' featuring traditional elements like acrobats, clowns, and exotic animals.
A devastating fire at the winter camp in 1872 killed numerous circus animals, contributing to the eventual decline of the Barnum and Bailey circus.
Barnum later partnered with James A. Bailey in 1880, forming a circus that acquired Jumbo the Elephant.

Barnum suffered a stroke in 1890.
He made a peculiar final request to have his obituary published before his death.