ems like they literally lost their minds you might pause for a second, listen to the details and to trace the record back to the archives because that is essentially what pamela has done. these stories are all there. they are unfolding before our eyes in this moment as well. >> you went to in germany recently. i have been doing research on african the germans and in my research i found human jews in germany. >> they were all over. >> i was wondering if you could comment on the international aspect of human zoos. >> human zoos were assembled by the people who had conquered these african or whenever,

philippines and spoils. we took their land and minerals. here are these primitive people and they were put on display at human zoos but i always wanted to draw a distinction between human zoos and what happened to ota benga because ota benga was not part of the human zoo. more so in st. louis he was but in the bronx only he was a human being in a cage with monkeys. >> because the director could get more people to the zoo and get an idea about making money. >> less to the spectator to figure out whether he was human or in between but at that time in 1904 i forgot which encyclopedia but one of the big ones maybe britannic8 said africans were midway between and a rang theorangutan and a human being.

>> i heard of ota benga when i was in college but never heard that he was in a zoo especially in 1906. >> the dawn of the 20th century. >> when you had few black men cornell university, the naacp around that time two years before, and in 1904, i am trying to wonder what did the progressive blacks think? what did they do at this time? at the same time you had black men out there at cornell university, getting the education, do they see the brilliance? >> they were the ones who

protested. yes. they protested. that is our ota benga eventually was able to come out. they were the ones who rescued him. >> not to auschwitz necessarily. [laughter] >> got to stick to the facts. >> that is funny. >> to the point about the time, 1906, you make note that thomas dickson, the novelist who published the klansman this same year, his work will go on to be the basis for the birth of a nation. >> which was screened at the white house. >> we're celebrating the centennial of the release of that film which was not only, which is to this day or original

in its content for easily reconciling the north and the south on the basis of white supremacy and defending not only the subjugation of black people but of klan violence directed -- >> a celebration of the ku klux klan. >> ota benga's moment is wrapped in this literary moments which produces a groundbreaking film in our popular culture. >> groundbreaking book around the same time was the negro beast. charles carroll. >> every area of human endeavor from public culture to literature to scholarship was the reinforcing of this idea that people were subhuman, certainly not worthy of the quality. we want to thank pamela newkirk for telling this story.

for the first time in its full list dimension for setting the historical record straight and throwing the gauntlet down to the nation's audience the teachers, because this is a story that must be told. thank you for being here and thank you. [applause] [inaudible conversations] >> booktv is on twitter and facebook and we want to hear from you. tweet us twitter.com/booktv or

post a comment on our face book page facebook.com/booktv. >> in depth is booktv's live monthly three our interview program where authors take your questions about their books. this past year guests have included talk show host tapis smiley, biographer walter isaacson, a law professor lani g guinere guinere, john robinson and peter schweitzer and killed a surprise winner lawrence wright. in the coming months we will speak with former second lady lynn cheney, talk radio host tom hartman, economists and political commentator walter williams and cokie roberts of npr and abc news and co-founder medea benjamin is our guest, she is author and editor of nine books including her most recent drone warfare where she examines the history and human cost of military drone usage. in depth is live on booktv,

first sunday of every month at noon eastern time. you can participate by calling in or sending your questions to facebook.com/booktv and on twitter at booktv. all previous index programs are available to watch on our web site booktv.org. >> booktv recently visited capitol hill to ask members of congress what they are reading this summer. >> i just finished reading the coolidge book by and ready --ami --amity schlayedsschlayes. coolidge is underrated as a president and is very enlightening that you learn so much history about the early part of the country, particularly in the early 20s. wonderful wonderful book. unfortunately my work on the education committee and the rules committee forces me to do

a lot of very dull reading and i don't get a chance to read as much as i would like but reading is my favorite thing to do outside of work. >> booktv wants to know what you are reading this summer, tweet us your answer at booktv or you can post it on our face book page facebook.com/booktv. ..