Uh okaaay, this was planned otherwise:

One hour ago I came home, ready to join Christian's and my ideas in the forum as we actually intended it to do. He might have been afraid that I would post the whole thing to late :D Anyway, it's not too bad as we have many things in common. I've just posted some additional thoughts.

Although I haven't found (and looked for) material on ethnic displays that refer to the Chicago and NY's world's fair in particular, I'm glad that I could root up useful links about "Menschenzoos"; interestingly, this ethnic displays, zoo- and circus-like, have some kind of German origin, creepy, especially when thinking about Hagenbeck, one of the most known zoos (in Germany). Although, the ethnic displays have a rather negative connotation, there must be some positive aspect, e.g. if the ethnic groups (nowadays) could have a say about how to be presented. In the end, bringing cultures to an audience interested in other cultural groups from all over the world, is a good thing isn't? When everything is on a non-commercial, non-ideological, basis? It's very much a grey area, which makes the topic difficult and high-explosive.