1835day.year
P. T. Barnum begins his career as a showman and circus entrepreneur by exhibiting Joice Heth, an octogenerian African slave whom he claims was George Washington's nursemaid.
In 1835, P. T. Barnum debuted his showmanship by exhibiting Joice Heth, an elderly African American woman he claimed was George Washington’s nursemaid.
On August 10, 1835, Phineas Taylor Barnum showcased Joice Heth in New York City, advertising her as the 161-year-old former nursemaid of President George Washington.
Thousands flocked to see the octogenarian performer, captivated by Barnum's sensational marketing.
Though Heth’s age claims were later debunked, the exhibition established Barnum's reputation for sensationalism.
This event marked the beginning of Barnum's career as a leading figure in American entertainment and circus culture.
It also set precedents for publicity-driven spectacles that would define his later successes.
1835
P. T. Barnum
Joice Heth
George Washington
nursemaid