The 1893 World's Fair is often discussed with pride and awe, but there were parts of it that were downright morally wrong by today's standards. The world villages on the Midway, the heart of the fair, are one example of this. Alaka Wali, curator of North American anthropology at the Field Museum, discusses who and what went into these displays and the evolution of the science of anthropology, which has its American roots in the Midway villages.

"From the Midway" is a production of the Chicago Tribune. It was created by digital news editor Colleen Connolly. Post-production editing was done by digital news editor Randi Shaffer. The music used in this podcast came from the album “Souvenir Music from the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893,” recorded by Lake Forest College.