The first entertainment craze in US history

18 th century American version of a “variety act;” entertainment consisting of various unrelated skits, dances, scenes, and musical selections. The first minstrel troops were white traveling musicians who performed in blackface A show usually had 3 unrelated acts Most popular during mid-1800s, but continued until 1950s-60s

Began in 1830s and 40s Most popular form of entertainment for almost 80 years (Burns) The beginning of the American songbook: O Susanna, Camp town Races, Dixie, etc. Stephen Foster wrote many songs for Christy Minstrels (Broadway)

[Blackface performers are]…the filthy scum of white society, who have stolen from us a complexion denied them by nature in which to make money, and pander to the corrupt taste of their white fellow citizens.” – Frederick Douglass ( )

The first big minstrel hit was written down and performed by a white man know as Daddy Rice He said he named the tune after the black stable hand he saw perform it

“The 2 most popular characters in the world at the present are Queen Victoria and Jim Crow.” – Boston Post, late 1830s Minstrelsy presented slaves as thankful, happy, and eager to return to their masters Minstrelsy taught white America that blacks were not to be pitied and existed for their entertainment The Zip Coon stock character taught whites that blacks could not educate or better themselves, and could never be like whites

1. Jim Crow Happy-go-lucky slave, eager to entertain 2. Tambo Joyous Musician, often with a tambourine, ignorant and poorly- spoken 3. Zip Coon A free black attempting to rise above his station, but without the intelligence to do so 1. Mammy Motherly, devoted, and loving, with a no-nonsense outlook on life; often played by men in drag 2. Ol’ Wench Sexually promiscuous, often light-skinned and played by a teenage boy in drag

Segregation laws in the southern US came to be called “Jim Crow” laws. US Supreme Court ruling Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) stated separate but equal laws were legal Jim Crow laws did not fully disappear until 1965

The Black and White Minstrel Show was a big hit on the BBC and ran from Once cancelled, regional UK tours continued until 1987 at resorts theatres and festivals

1. Some say that minstrelsy is still a part of the US entertainment culture, but without the blatant racism and blackface. In other words, some say that although most American’s happily consume black culture as entertainment, (exp. Rap, Jazz, Blues, R & B) most do not have the same level of comfort with black people. Do you agree? 2. Minstrelsy propagated vicious stereotypes of blacks that lasted well into the 20 th century (refer to slide #9). Do you feel the media (and Hollywood) still perpetuates these stereotypes?

GQ Interview (2013) On blacks during Jim Crow era:“…They’re singing and happy. I never heard one of them, one black person, say, ‘I tell you what: These doggone white people’ – not a word!...Pre-entitlement, pre-welfare, you say: Were they happy? They were godly; they were happy; no one was singing the blues.” Phil Robertson

Taken from a 1875 minstrel hit called “Old Aunt Jemima” by Billy Kersands Originally played by a white man in drag Used the slogan, “I’s in town, honey!” (1893) Her image was redone in 1989 to reduce racial stereotypes and references to the Mammy minstrel character