Exhibiting mentally retarded people for amusement and profit, 1850-1940.

Historians in the field of mental retardation have neglected to document the exhibition of people for amusement and profit, commonly known as "freak shows." The exhibition of people we would now call "mentally retarded" during the period 1850 to 1940 in the United States was discussed. Biographical sketches were given to five famous persons who were exhibited in the 19th century. Information on other individuals who were exhibited was also provided. Patterns and trends in exhibitions and in the significance of "freak show" imagery for current attitudes toward those known as mentally retarded was discussed.