JimmyMcEvoy

HistoryoftheAmericanMusicalTheatre
Dr.NathanHurwitz
February18th2015
Minstrelsy
Inthe1830s,anewtypeofentertainmentemergedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica.
Whiteperformerswouldcoattheirfaceswithburntcork,togivethemselvesthe
pigmentationofanAfricanAmerican,andwoulddressincrazycostumesandmockthe
race.Thesewerecalledminstrelshows.Theseshowsbecamemassive,mainstream
entertainmentandmanyconsiderminstrelshowsthestartingpointforpopularmusicin
America.However,theseshowswerenotoriouslycontroversialfordegradingand
slanderingAfricanAmericansandmanyblameminstrelsshowsfortheexploitationand
dehumanizationoftherace.Whilethisisabsolutelytrue,Iwouldarguethatminstrelsyis
stillaliveandwelltoday.Therearesomanystereotypestodaythatareportrayedinfilm,
television,andmusicandthesolepurposefortheexploitationofthesestereotypesis
entertainment.Thiswasthepurposeforminstrelshowsaswell.Nowthequestionis:did
thewhitecultureshowagenuineinterestandfondnessintheblackculturethesewere
mainstreamshowsafterallorwastheironlyobjectivetoslandertheAfricanAmerican
cultureandindulgeintheprofits?Andisthisquestionstillpertinenttoday?


BlackfaceminstrelsyhaditsoriginsaftertheWarof1812,whenAmericaunderwent
manychangesincludingincreasesinurbanpopulationgrowthandacultureshockthat
manyAmericansfacedfromnothavingtheirowndistinctculture.

ThefirstwellknownminstrelperformerwasThomasDartmouthRice.Hecreatedhis
famouscharacterJimCrowandcapitalizedofftheminstrelshowsbycreatingthesong
JumpJimCrow,whichbecameaninstantsensationandhelpedpopularizeminstrelsy.As
minstrelsyprogressedotherfamouscharacterswerecreatedlikeZipCoonandUncleTom
andMammy.

Atthetime,slaverywasonlyrampantintheSouthandtheWhite,Northernculture
didntreallyunderstandhowtheAfricanAmericanracelivedorbehaved.Thesewhite
patronswouldseetheseshowsfortheentertainmentandtogetaglimpseofwhatthe
AfricanAmericanculturewasallabout.However,thepointofviewoftheblackracewas
comingfromwhitepeoplewhoperceivedblackpeopleas
lazy,ignorant,buffoonish,
superstitious,joyous,andmusicalsothesewhiteaudienceswereclearlygettingan
obstructedviewoftheAfricanAmericanrace.HereswherethetwoquestionsIformulated
comein.DidminstrelperformersonlydotheseshowstoslandertheAfricanAmerican
raceandindulgeintheprofits?Manybelievethatthiswastheironlyintentandforsomeof
themthatmightveverywellbeentrue.Intheseminstrelshows,AfricanAmericanswere

beingportrayedasbeingcontentwithslaveryandlivinghappy,fulfillinglives.Weknow
thiswasextremelyfarfromthetruth.EricBrotherssaid:

Theminstrelshowswereextremelypopular,buttheywerealsoquitecontroversial.Racial
integrationistsprotestedtheinsultingaspectsofthem,includingfalselyshowinghappy
slaveswhileatthesametimemakingfunofthem.Segregationists,ontheotherhand,felt
thatsuchentertainmentwasdisrespectfulofsocialnorms,portrayingrunawayslaves
withsympathyandunderminingtheSouthspeculiarinstitutionofslavery.

Now,onecouldarguethatthewholepurposeoftheseshowswastoslandertheAfrican
AmericanracebutIdontthinkthatwastheirtrueintention.Idobelieve,however,thatthe
whiteracewascompletelyignoranttotheplightoftheblackracebutcapitalizedonit
becausetheseshowsturnedouttobepopular.

Withthepopularityoftheseshows,thesewhiteperformerswouldapplytheburntcork
totheirfacesandwearsilly,overthetopcostumesandrunaroundmockingthemselves
andeachotherknowingtherewouldbeasubstantialprofit.Hereswherethesecond
questioncomesin.Didthewhiteraceshowagenuineinterestand/orfondnessintheblack
race?Iwouldsaythiswastheintentionofmanywhitepeoplewhowereignorantofthe
blackcultureandgenuinelycurioustoknowabouttheblackrace.Butattheendoftheday,

minstrelsywasaformofentertainment.AsIsaidbefore,blackpeopleweredepictedas
enjoyingtheirlivesandfeelingcontentaboutslavery.Theyalsoknewthataudiences
wouldnotwanttoseeatruedepictionoftheblackracebecausethereisnoentertainment
inthat.Thisiswhytheyworetheridiculousmakeupandcostumesandjumpedaround
actinglikebuffoonsandspeakinggibberish.Sotoanswerbothquestions,Ithinkthewhite
culturesintentionsinminstrelsywasalittlebitofboth.Ithinktherewasagenuineinterest
indiscoveringwhattheblackculturewasallabout,evenifitwasanexaggeratedandfalse
version,butignoranceofthewhitecultureiswhatallowedthisslanderingtohappen.

Anotherbigargumentthatariseswithminstrelsyisthatallminstrelperformerswere
racistandouttoslandertheAfricanAmericanrace.Thisisntnecessarilytrue.Minstrelsy
wassuchahugephenomenonandthoughitmayhaveinitiallybeenpurposelyracistitjust
wasntalwaysthecaseastimeprogressed.FamousminstrelperformersBertWilliams,
StephenFoster,andAlJolsonactuallywentoutoftheirwaytomakesuretheysheda
positivelightontheblackrace.

WhitepeopleplayedtheroleofAfricanAmericansbutStephenFosterinstructedthese
actorstorespecttheBlackpeopletheyportrayed.

AlJolsonperformedinminstrelsysincehewas15yearsold.HeopenlycreditedAfrican
Americansforthejazzandbluesthatherepeatedlysangonstageandstrivedforthefusion
ofblacksintheaterandstage.

WhenhereadinanewspaperthatunknownsongwritersEubieBlakeandNobleSissle
wererefusedserviceataConnecticutrestaurantbecauseoftheircolour,hetrackedthem
downandtookthemouttodinnerinsistinghewouldpunchanyonewhotriedtokickthem
out.

Jolsonalsostatedthathedonnedtheblackpaintnotforracialinsult,butitbroughtfortha
confidencehewouldntbeabletoconveyhadhenothadit.

Jolsonwasterriblynervousaboutenactingthecomicrole,butablackfacemonologuiston
thesamebillsuggestedtoAlthatwearingburntcorkwouldmakehimfeelhewas
someoneelse.Altriedit,andtheresultingpersonawasexciting,spontaneous,joyous.The
dull,selfconsciouskidwasonhiswaytobecominganelectrifyingpresence.

Astimeprogressed,manyforwardthinkersknewthatthiswasslanderoustotheblackrace
butdiditanywaybecauseitwassuchaculturalandentertainmentsuccessthatitwas

somethingmanydidiftheywantedtobeperformers.Itdidntnecessarilymeantheywere
racist.

Atthetime,theAfricanAmericanracewasnotfullyunderstoodandtheywere
consideredoflesserquality.Thatsjusthowitwas.Butnow,ontelevisionweseethe
stereotypicalbehaviorsofsomanyotherracesandgroupsincludingLatinos,Asians,and
MiddleEasterners.Whileweknowitsoffensive,westilllaughandtuneintoshowslike
SouthPark
and
FamilyGuy
tolaughatwhateverstereotypeisbeingmadefunofnext.I
thinkthegreatAmericanplagueistheinitialunwillingnesstounderstandandacceptthings
thataredifferenttowhattheyknow.IttakestimefortheAmericansocietytoacceptnew
things(race,groups,trends).Butoneofthefirststepsinacceptingsomethingnewisto
makefunofitandputlightonthesituationandthemoreoffensivethebetter.Changeand
growthonlycomeswhenthingsgetreallybadandthentheopportunityarisestomakethe
change.Thiswasabsolutelythecasebackinthe1800swithminstrelshowsanddefinitely
stillisthecasetoday.

Theworldisfilledwithracistswhodontliketoberemindedjusthowracisttheyare,
fromtheopenlyhostileSouthernrednecktothepolitesnobberyofawealthyNortherner.
Onewouldthinkinthe21stcenturythatwewouldhaveallevolvedtothepointwhereall
racesandcreedscouldcollectivelystandinfrontofthemirror,lookintoitand

acknowledgeouruglypastnomatterwhichsideoftheequationwefallinto,andthenall
agreetomoveforwardwithenlightenedunderstandingtheyreinfacttrappingusina
worldoffictionwherenothingisgoodORbad,justconsistentlydevoidofallmeaningand
dullerthananunsharpenedpencil.

Toconclude,RobertC.Tollstates:

Thesenegativeimagesofblacksdidhavesomeelementsofblackcultureinthem,
howevertwistedanddistortedtheoveralleffectwas...Minstrelsywasthefirstexample
ofthewayAmericanpopularculturewouldexploitandmanipulateAfroAmericansand
theirculturetopleaseandbenefitwhiteAmericans.

ThisdoesnotjustincludetheAfricanAmericanrace.Thisincludesanysortofminority.
Themajorityracealwayshastofeeltheyaresuperiorthantheminorityraceandmany
refertoentertainmentandhumor.Soitreallymakesmethinkwhatisfunnyandwhatisnt
andwhatwelaughatisntalwaysworthanything.

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