B.H.M: Sara 'Saartjie" Baartman

Sara was born into a  Khoisan family in Eastern Cape of South Africa. Baartman  became an orphan during the commando raid and later a salve of dutch farmers in Cape Town. The brother of the slave owner suggested Sara to travel to England to work as a maid. Sara soon regretted her decision after learning the brother's intention for the trip. Instead of being a maid, she was placed on display all around Britain. The brother used her to entertain the people by showing her "unusual" body parts. Sara Baartman also know as "Hottentot Venus" had large buttocks "ass", full breast, and an elongated labia. The Khoi-San women practice this body manipulation were their labia minora aka inner lips hang 3 to 4 inches long.  


During her stay in England, the slave act trade 1807 created scandal.  The abolitionist from the African Association wanted to free her. On November 24,1810, the court attempted to to give her freedom, but she stated she was not under any control. This statement is questionable because the statements were said by her  exhibitions.


Sara was later sold to a Frenchman were she was exhibited throughout France. An animal trainer named Regu displayed her for 15 more. Once the Persians interest of Sara worn thin, Sara began to prostituted herself. 

 This an poster marketing Sara

On December 29, 1815, Sara Baartman died from allegedly smallpox or syphilis, or pneumonia. Even after her death, people were still interested about her and conducted an autopsy, which was by French naturalist George Cuiver. They preserve her skeleton, brain,and genitals.After preserving, they displayed her organs and skeleton in Paris in Musee de l'Homme. In 1974, they removed it and placed it somewhere were on one can see it. In 2001, Musee de l'Homme delivered her organs and skeleton bask to South Africa for a long over due proper burial.