Editing Zip the Pinhead (section)

==Early life==
William Henry Johnson was likely born in New Jersey,<ref name="nickell" />{{rp|159}} and was one of six children in a very poor [[African Americans|African-American]] family. His parents were William and Mahalia Johnson, former [[slavery|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 appearance caused many to believe that he was a "pinhead", or [[Microcephaly|microcephalic]]. Microcephaly patients are characterized by a small, tapering cranium and often have impaired mental faculty.<ref name=Drimmer>{{cite book |last1=Drimmer |first1=Frederick |title=Very Special People: the struggles, loves and triumphs of human oddities |date=1974 |publisher=Amjon Publishers Inc |location=New York City |isbn=9780517467985 |url=https://archive.org/details/veryspecialpeopl00drim/page/291/mode/1up |access-date=5 June 2022}}</ref> It is arguable, however, whether he was intellectually disabled.<ref>{{cite book|last=Fuller|first=Randall|title=The book that changed America: how Darwin's theory of evolution ignited a nation|publisher=Viking|location=New York|year=2017|pages=101|isbn=978-0-5254-2833-6}}</ref>

Johnson's parents agreed to allow the circus to display him in return for money. He was billed as a [[Missing link (human evolution)|missing link]], supposedly caught in Africa and displayed in a cage.<ref name=Drimmer/> He was a popular attraction, and his success led his agent to show his charge to showman [[P.T. Barnum]].

Barnum purchased the right to display Johnson from the circus and gave him a new look. A furry suit was made to fit him, and his hair was shaped to a tiny point that further accented his sloping brow. Finally, he was given the name, "Zip the Pinhead", the "What-Is-It?,"<ref>{{cite book|last=Hornberger|first=Francine|title=Carny Folk: The World's Weirdest Sideshow Acts|publisher=Citadel Press|location=New York|year=2005|pages=122|isbn=978-0-8065-2661-4}}</ref> or the "Man-Monkey".<ref name="nickell" />{{rp|158}}