Willie and George Muse, known as the Muse Brothers or Eko and Iko were born in Roanoke, Virginia, Willie in 1892 and George in 1893. The brothers were African American who were both born with Albinism, a disorder characterized by the complete or partial absence of pigment in the skin.
In the 1920s the brothers were discovered by an agent of the Al G. Barnes Circus who persuaded them to join the show a sideshow attraction.
The brothers were featured in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus sideshow where manager Lew Graham gave the the name" Eko" and "Iko" and billed them as "The Ambassadors From Mars".
The Willie and George remained with circuses for many years until they retired from the Clyde Beatty Cole Bros. Circus in 1961.
The brothers spent their retirement years in their their hometown of Roanoke.
George passed away in 1971, Willie died on April 13, 2001 at the age of 108. |
