Jumbo the Elephant

Item

Title
Jumbo the Elephant
Circus Name
The Union Circus
Date
May 8th, 1909
Location of Event
State Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Creator
Emile Reed Low, collector; Frank Albert Kapp, collector
Subject
White men adorned in blackface and turbans guide a fake elephant down State Street
Description
One of several blackface performances in the Union Circus, "Jumbo" the elephant and his guide drew much attention from the watching crowds. In place of real exotic animals, students dressed in animal costumes. The elephant, dubbed "Jumbo" by the inscription, required two students to act as legs. The white man guiding Jumbo wears a turban and blackface.

The phrase "All Together Julia-" is inscribed under the second image in the Low scrapbook.
Rights Holder
Bentley Historical Library
References
Photograph, 1907-1911, Emile Reed Low photograph series, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan

Photograph, 1907-1911, Frank Albert Kapp photograph series, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan

Tags

Union Circus University of Michigan Jumbo elephant blackface historic buildings Emile Reed Low scrapbooks Ann Arbor Frank Albert Kapp whitewashing

New Tags

I agree with terms of use and I accept to free my contribution under the licence CC BY-SA.