Zip the Pinhead

Zip the Pinhead, real name William Henry Johnson (ca. 1842 in Liberty Corner, New Jersey – April 9, 1926 in New York City, New York), was an American freak show performer famous for his tapered head.

Early life

William Henry Johnson was born one of six children to a very poor African-American family. His parents were William and Mahalia Johnson, former slaves. As he grew, his body developed normally but his head remained small. His tapering cranium and heavy jaw made him attractive to agents from van Emburgh's Circus in Somerville, New Jersey. His unusual appearance caused many to believe that he was a "pinhead", or microcephalic. Microcephaly patients are characterized by a small, tapering cranium and often have impaired mental faculty. It is arguable, however, that William Henry was not mentally deficient.

William Henry's parents agreed to allow the circus to display him in return for money. He was billed as a missing link, supposedly caught in Africa and displayed in a cage. He was a popular draw, and his success led young William Henry's agent to show his charge to P.T. Barnum.