Saartjie Baartman the Hottentot Venus, dies in Paris.

Saartjie Baartman, more famously known as the Hottentot Venus, left a significant imprint on history, her life serving as a brutal reminder of the exploitation and racism endured by African women in the colonial era. Navigating her personal tale requires a deep dive into historical archives that reflect the societal norms of the time. However, the darkness of her experience and her untimely death in Paris on December 29, 1815, beams a significant ray of light on the need for continual human rights advancement.

Born around 1789 in the Eastern Cape of South Africa into the Khoikhoi community, Saartjie Baartman saw her life’s journey take a shocking turn when she was sold into slavery and later exploited as a freak show attraction under the derogatory moniker, the Hottentot Venus. Over the years, her life became a symbol not just of the racism of her era, but also of the rampant objectification of women, particularly women of color.

In 1810, Baartman was taken to London by her employer, a free black man named Hendrik Cesars. Her natural physique, considered out of the ordinary by European standards, was highlighted and marketed for public display. Following her shows in London, she was taken to Paris, where she continued to be an object of fascination and exoticism.

Paris, the city of love, fashion, and culture, unfortunately, didn’t show any of these to Saartjie Baartman. Far from appreciation, she was cast as an object of entertainment for a society obsessed with racial difference and biological determinism. The fascination surrounding Saartjie Baartman or the Hottentot Venus revolved mainly around her large buttocks and extended labia, both common traits amongst Khoisan women but rarities in Europe.

However, her story didn’t end there. Saartjie Baartman added a sorrowful chapter to the pages of Parisian history when she died on December 29, 1815, at the tender age of twenty-six. Though she was no longer present, her exploitation continued in death. Her body was dissected, and her remains were displayed at Paris’s Museum of Man until 1974.

It is this tale of Saartjie Baartman, the Hottentot Venus, that evokes contemplation on how far we’ve come as societies advocating for human rights and equal treatment, and how much further we still must strive to heal past injustices.

Remembering important figures like Saartjie Baartman and their stories has exceptional importance endowed with an event like her unfortunate passing in Paris on December 29, 1815. This is an opportunity to reflect on the exploitation she underwent, and that countless other women around the world may still endure. Her tragic story is indicative of the need to continually fight against systemic racism, gender-based violence, and a host of other societal ills that persist to this day.

The narrative of Saartjie Baartman’s life and death in Paris on December 29, 1815, continues to resonate in today’s world, serving as a painful reminder of an exploited woman hailing from the Khoikhoi community. The lessons learned from the brutalities of her life, exploitation, and untimely death are integral for the fight against modern-day racism, sexism, and the objectification of women. Thus her story, though fraught with sadness and injustice, is essential for inspiring societal change and instigating conversations on human rights in the contemporary world.

In the retelling of Saartjie Baartman’s story and remembering her death on December 29, 1815, we are given the opportunity to examine, confront, and challenge historical human rights abuses. It’s a platform to talk about meaningful and tangible changes that can recognize, honor, and move beyond such brutal histories, ultimately collating into a powerful narrative for change, awareness, and empowerment.