History on the Minstrel Shows

    

    The minstrel shows, also known as minstrelsy. Was a popular form of American showcase of racist entertainment throughout the late 18th century. These shows were intended as comic entertainment of racial stereotypes of African American slaves. Minstrelsy was commonly performed by a group of white males that tended to be traveling musicians who would mock African American slaves in comic skits they would perform in minstrelsy. These white individuals would paint their faces black and sing and dance around a stage with a racist demeanor behind them. This American theatrical hit their most popular in theaters between 1850 and 1870, then started to die down in live-action theater performances. Although it disappeared from theaters, it did not vanish completely. It became more popular during the early 20th century and premiered on radio, television, and even motion picture industries in the 20th and early 21st centuries.

The most popular performer in the minstrel was a man popularly known as “Jim Crow” allegedly to be Thomas Dartmouth Rice. Thomas attained the name “father of American minstrelsy” after becoming one of the most well know known performers in minstrelsy around 1830. He was a white male that was apparently extremely gifted at the showcase known for his singing and dancing. In the history of his performing arts, he got popular off his very much over-exaggerated first black stage character “Jim Crow”. After becoming fairly rich and popular with his character, he claimed to have “learned his ways” through an African American slave. Through his performances and after becoming a financial glory, Thomas and some people formed a group that went by “Virginia Minstrels” becoming the first white minstrel troupe to perform professionally in 1840

 

A more explicit example of what these troupes would perform would be James Bland, another popular singer in minstrelsy, also known for playing the banjo, has been claimed to have written over 600 songs for these shows, one of the most popular being “Carry Me Back to Old Virginny”.In these times the majority of these performers were generally white males; by the early 20th century, women were also becoming involved in this at the time art performance. They premiered in many of the hit minstrelsies such as “The Great Blues” where Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith performed singing in their early acting careers. Around the mid-20th century,  minstrel shows had disappeared. Though the act of racial stereotyping for entertainment continued in many different aspects of public entertainment for decades. (additional information)  more on the issue of how minstrelsy continued