This month Trade Roots focuses on World Fairs and Expositions. We are featuring a book on the St Louis Exposition in 1904, where thousands of Filipinos were exhibited as “savage” proofs of American colonial power. Meanwhile, the featured article is taken from the catalogue of the Philippines International Fair held in Manila from February 1 to April 30, 1953, created to launch the Philippines as a progressive country. The featured website shows in what ways world fairs and expositions continue to be relevant today.

World Fair in Asia
By Cornelio Balmaceda

By February 1, 1953, the First Philippines International Fair will have opened its wide gates to millions of visitors at the historic Luneta in Manila. People from all the provinces, far and near, from neighboring countries in Asia and the South Pacific Area, from Europe and from America are expected to witness the opening of this historic event in the Far East. Many more will come to Manila by air and sea during the three months of the Fair, which will last until April 30.

1904 World’s Fair: The Filipino Experience
By Jose D. Fermin
Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press
2004

1n 1904, the Americans exhibited over 1,100 native Filipinos, including Negritos, Igorot, Moros, and Visayans at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in Saint Louis, Missouri. Dubbed the “largest and the finest colonial exhibit,” the Philippine Exhibition, though a huge success with the public, proved controversial because of its racist and imperialistic features, and the stigma it inflicted on Filipinos—a disgrace that is still felt after a hundred years. Mr. Fermin’s impressive, well-researched book unearths new and explosive historical material pertaining not only to that fair but also to expositions held during American colonial rule in the Philippines.

--From the book blurb

The World’s Fair Community is an interactive website on the world fairs, exhibitions, and expositions since the 1800s. It is basically an online discussion site (of 1,287 members) that includes several message boards, namely:

• The World’s Fair Community - for concerns like membership, news, etc.
• The Great Fairs - for posts that have anything to do with the popular or renowned world fairs in history, including the 1904 St Louis Exposition and the 1889 Exposition in Paris
• World’s Fairs and Expositions - for forums on all the other expositions, organized according to year beginning in 1840
• Something for Everyone - for trivia, event invitations, and jokes
• Commerce Zone - for upcoming fairs and for buying and selling souvenirs and collectibles. One can also find several relevant books for sale on the “Pages” portion.

http://worldsfaircommunity.org/