| An African Giantess Abomah, a superb specimen of the African negress, who enjoys the distinction of being the tallest woman living, is black as ebony, and endowed with great physical strength, combined with a symmetrically molded figure, is now on her way to Liverpool. She was formerly one of the attendants and body guard of the barbaric King of Dahomey, whose Amazonian warriors have been famous alike for their prowess and cruelty. Trained for her bloodthirsty calling from early childhood, she was inured to hardship and pain. Her stature increasing out of proportion to her years, she became a particular favorite of the monarch, and led his army. This extraordinary woman stands over eight feet in height, and can easily support the weight of a man on her outstretched hand. The dusky beauty, having recently evinced a strong desire to travel, and particularly to visit England, will no doubt soon pay a visit to some of our principal cities. - London Tit-Bits ( 7 Sept 1900) |
| Mme. ABOMAH |
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| The above notice would lead one to believe that the lady known as "Abomah" came from somewhere outside the U.K. but I doubt this is true. She was promoted as being a native of Laurence [Laurens] County, South Carolina which is near "Dahomey, that country of Amazonian troops and female guards of honor" which is typical of a manager's ballyhoo. This would not be the first time an English born prodigy was said to hail from the States. Little lady Millie Edwards who "married" New York born little man General Mite in 1884 (and who later toured with Abomah) was said to be from Kalamazoo, Michigan though she never set foot on Yankee soil. It is a fact, however, that Abomah's act met with much greater success outside the U.S. Why? For no other reason than the color of her skin. America's Civil War ended in 1865. A war that began in retaliation for a feeling of disenfranchisement. A war that turned into the right to own slaves. And although slavery was abolished at the War's conclusion, anti-Negro sentiment would last another 100 years. There were many Negro entertainers in those days but they found an audience only if their act was non-threatening to the white majority. In the field of U.S. Dime Museum entertainers/exhibitors one could be "coloured" and acceptable if you were extrememly obese for example or severly handicapped. It was important that you could be laughed at or pitied. But the lady who was billed as "Abomah" was none of the above. Because of her height she had to be "looked up to". Because of her stature she had to be promoted in superlatives as "the greatest", "the tallest" or, as they say in France, "son rival". In American culture at the time this was simply not unacceptable. So Abomah and her manager were forced, as it were, to seek their fortune elsewhere, whilst other non-threatening show people from Europe were highly successful touring the hightly lucrative American dime museum market. |
| Photo courtesy University of Queensland; Australian Popular Theatre Collection |
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