The Mayor’s Commemorative Landscape Task Force, in partnership with the Clayton Community Foundation, announces the installation of a permanent historical marker to honor the Philippine Village Historical Site. This marker honors the Filipinos and Indigenous Peoples from the Philippines who endured the World’s Fair and recognizes their resilience and vital contributions to the cultural landscape of the City of Clayton and St. Louis, historically and today.
The marker will be placed in the Wydown-Skinker neighborhood, once the site of the 1904 Philippine Village, which covered 40 acres of what are now the Wydown-Skinker and DeMun neighborhoods, adjacent to Forest Park. The Philippine Village was a propaganda-driven exhibit designed to justify U.S. colonization of the Philippines. More than 1,200 people from different regions across the Philippines were transported to St. Louis to live within the exhibit for eight months and were subjected to exploitation and public spectacle. At least 17 individuals lost their lives due to pneumonia, malnutrition, or suicide.
“For decades, this painful chapter of history was largely erased from public memory,” said Clayton Mayor Michelle Harris. “With the installation of this marker, the City of Clayton acknowledges this history honestly and ensures that the stories of those affected are recognized and remembered.”
“By portraying native customs as primitive or backward, the U.S. government and fair organizers sought to demonstrate that the Philippine people were unfit for self-rule,” writes Janna Añonuevo Langholz on the Philippine Village Historical Site website. “Meanwhile, those who lived in the Philippine Village …did their best to make the most of their situation and bring money home. They lived their lives—fell in love, got married, gave birth, and died—on display for the American public.”
The marker was developed in collaboration with the Philippine Village Historical Site community and other stakeholders, including representatives of Indigenous tribes, Filipino scholars, and local educational institutions. The Task Force extends special gratitude to Janna Añonuevo Langholz, whose extensive research and dedication were instrumental in bringing this effort to fruition.
Marker Installation Ceremony
📅📅 Date: Friday, April 18, 2025 ⏰ Time: 10:00 AM 📍📍 Location: Concordia Park, 801 Seminary Pl, Clayton, MO 63105
Near the intersection of DeMun Avenue and Northwood Avenue
