Minstrel Shows

It all started in the 1840s, when white performers applied grease paint or burnt cork to their faces for showbiz. Being in the time we are now, probably almost everybody who would see this would feel horrified that back then this was considered entertainment. I know I did.  

Northern white performers imitated songs - or at least tried to- that they heard blacks’ singing. Performers added a heavy southern accent to the song along with the black face. But eventually whites had to change their show when they couldn’t compete with the African Americans when they opened up their own minstrel company. It became known as “Blacks and Vaudeville”.  

I thought segregation was a sad time. Blacks were not allowed anywhere white people were really. Even if black people wanted to perform they still had rules, such as they could only sing about their racial context or it at least had to be shown in their act (fruit or crops) and there was only allowed one black act per show. What caught my eye the most was when towards the end of the minstrel days it was revealed that black performers wore burnt cork on their faces themselves, it was a shock to everybody. I think African Americans did that because it was the only way to show off their talent.