The_Resurrectionist_The_Lost_Work_of_Dr

entertainment value, Black was encouraged to tell stories explaining how his specimens had
descended from ancient mythological animals. An excerpt from a flier reads: “A child born without
arms may be a confused body that lacked the information to produce wings, of a harpy perhaps.”
The transition from esteemed medical prodigy to carnival sideshow host came abruptly for Dr.
Black. He and his family were forced to adapt to a new lifestyle, one that was incredibly different
from what they had previously been accustomed to. Traveling with a carnival was a considerable
hardship, but his wife and sons adapted fairly well. We know that Elise hailed from a prosperous and
educated family; she could have easily taken the children to live with her parents and siblings in
Chicago. Instead, she became an integral element in the culture of the American Carnival. She was
well known among other workers and was well liked, too. By assuming a matronly role as a
caregiver to the other performers, she soon earned the nickname “Momma El.”
Black’s own experience was more complicated. These two journal entries, written just four months
apart, illustrate his evolving views concerning his research and the carnival lifestyle.
September 1880
I have devoted my efforts thus far to the fulfillment of my work, only to share it
now with liars, criminals, and killers: ignorant people whose only reluctance to eat
one another is that they do not care for the taste. Yes, I am in good company,
indeed. I entertain the whims of this carnival. I lecture to common citizens less
interested in my science than in the so-called lizard-woman from the jungle––who
is really only a woman from Detroit afflicted with ichthyosis. It would be more
auspicious to work alone in a laboratory, in a university; I could then speak to a
dedicated audience of students.
I know I must continue my work, despite my disdain of my audience. Without
another source of subsistence I am left with only this one choice.
* * *
February 1881
I can reach out through the boundaries of this country and seek out the ones who
will listen as I once did. I am not confined to one state or province; I can take my
work to them if they will not come to me. I will appear on their steps and knock on
their doors.
Despite an initial hesitation, Black became a phenomenally successful showman, and he soon grew
to embrace the fair lifestyle. Among carnival personalities, his style of showmanship was greatly
admired. Curious onlookers would flock to the traveling museum, eager to see the controversial
exhibits that were contested so vehemently in local newspapers. Profits from the museum were
substantial. Black had no trouble providing for his family; he even purchased a decent-sized horsedrawn
caravan, the transportation mode of choice for early American carnival and circus
professionals. The added mobility allowed him to travel more freely, especially in winter, when the
carnival closed.
Gregarious and outspoken, Dr. Black often challenged doubters in the audience to join him in open
debate. On one such occasion, in Marris County, New York, in 1881, a minister by the name of