P. T. Barnum

Phineas Taylor Barnum (July 5, 1810 – April 7, 1891) was an American showman and businessman. He started his career in New York City by showing off a slave he owned named Joice Heth. He told people that Joice was 161 years old and removed her teeth to make her look older. This made him famous at a young age. After her death, he showed off her dead body in a public autopsy.

In New York City, Barnum founded two American Museums. In these museums, he showed real acts such as General Tom Thumb and hoaxes such as the Fiji mermaid. He introduced Jenny Lind to the public. After fire destroyed his second museum, Barnum created a circus. In the circus he displayed Jumbo the elephant. He suggested the circus setting for Horatio Alger, Jr.'s book The Young Acrobat.Hoyt, Edwin. 1974. Horatio's Boys. Chilton Book Co. p. 145.  Barnum is also well known for saying "There's a sucker born every minute."

He may have been the first "show business" millionaire. Barnum said "I am a showman by profession," but he was also an author and publisher. For a while, he was also a politician. 

 Movies 
Barnum was portrayed by Hugh Jackman in The Greatest Showman (2017).

 References 

Category:1810 births
Category:1891 deaths
Category:Deaths from stroke
Category:19th-century American entertainers
Category:Politicians from Connecticut
Category:19th-century writers from Connecticut
Category:Slavers