An Excerpt from Inseparable: The Original Siamese Twins and Their Rendezvous with American History

Research output: Journal PublicationsJournal Article (refereed)peer-review

Abstract

Born in 1811 on a riverboat in Siam, Chang and Eng, the original Siamese Twins, were brought to America in 1829 for a touring exhibition as freaks. They soon broke free from their enslaving masters and ran the show by themselves. Having made a fortune in a decade, they retired to western North Carolina, bought land, built houses, married two white sisters, and owned slaves. Yunte Huang's new book, Inseparable: The Original Siamese Twins and Their Rendezvous with American History, tells the gripping story of how Chang and Eng, an odd pair, beat impossible odds, living their conjoined life with grit and gusto. In this excerpted chapter, "Mount Airy, or Monticello," Huang investigates the history, implications, and contradictions of Chang and Eng's ownership of African American slaves.
Original languageEnglish
JournalSouthern Spaces
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 4 Apr 2018
Externally publishedYes

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