Bronx Zoo
Benga was allowed to roam the grounds of the zoo. In response to the situation, as well as verbal and physical prods from the crowds, he became more mischievous and somewhat violent. Around this time, Rev. Dr. R. MacArthur of Calvary Baptist Church, was quoted in The New York Times saying: "It is too bad that there is not some society like the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. We send our missionaries to Africa to Christianize the people, and then we bring one here to brutalize him." Soon, the zoo removed Benga from the grounds. Toward the end of 1906, Benga was released into Reverend Gordon's custody. Gordon placed Benga in the Howard Colored Orphan Asylum, a church-sponsored orphanage in Brooklyn that Gordon supervised. As the unwelcome press attention continued, in January 1910, Gordon arranged for Benga's relocation to Lynchburg, Virginia, where he lived with the family of Gregory W. Hayes. While there, Benga received tutoring from Lynchburg-based Harlem Renaissance poet Anne Spencer.
Animals
Details
- Area
- 265 acre
- Logo
- Bronx Zoo logo.png
- Opened
- 1899
- Members
- AZA
- Exhibits
- {{Indented_plainlist|
- Location
- 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx Park, Bronx, New York 10460, U.S.
- Zoo Name
- Bronx Zoo
- Logo Width
- 250px
- Management
- Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
- Date Opened
- November 8, 1899
- Num Animals
- 4000
- Num Species
- 650
- Logo Caption
- Bronx Zoo logo
- Accreditation
- AZA
- Publictransit
- Subway:
- Annual Visitors
- 2