Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-12
NEGRO MINSTRELSY,
Its Origin and Its Early Promoters Time
Memories-A Renowned Comedian.
New York Mail

| Mem0rIeS-A Renowned comedian.
New York Mail.
The origin of negro minstrslsy has
been so often discussed and recurs so fire.
quently that the writer need make no
apology IN referring to some of his re-
miniscences connected with the burnt
cork fraternity. This department of
! theatricals dates as far back as 1899,
though the first minstrel company was
not organized till 1843. The earliest in
stance of the introduction of negro char
acters on the stage occurred In Boston,
Dec. 80, 1899. Kussell's Boston Gazette
of that date contained an advertisement
of the entire performance, as given at
Federal Street theatre at the time. The
first piece was ''Oronoko; or, the Royal
Slave" At the end of the second act
there is song of ''The Gay Negro Boy"
in character, and this was given by Mr..
Graupner, member of the old Federal
Street company. The famous pantomime
of 'Gil Bias" had been introduced that
Christmas week, and although the house
was hung with mourning at that time on
account of the death of Washington, such
was the applause given to the song of
''The Negro Boy" that he had to bring in
his little bench and sing his story over
and over.
The chord of popular sympathy had
been struck for a lonely and enslaved
race. The next popular song was called
''The Battle of Plattsburg." Dramatic
history tells US that this was originally
sung by an actor, vulgarly known as
''Pig-Pie Herbert" at theatre in Albany
in 1915.
This song made such decided hit that
the enthusiasm of the audience became
uncomfortable. From that moment it
was popular favorite. 1t had long
and successful season, and was the chief
attraction at this theater and elsewhere.
There was another noted individual of
the day, one George Nichols, clown in
western circuses, who became very popu-
lar in that section of the country. He
lived after Herbert. The following are
few of the other names represented
among the pioneers of the burnt-cork
comedians and vocalists Robert Furrell
who it is said, was the original 'Zip
COOn;" Sam Tatnall, who sang a song
entitled ''The Back Side of Albany" in
1928; Barney Burnes in songs called
''My Long Tail Blue" and ''Such Get
ting Upstairs" Bill Keller, Enam Dick
son, Tom Blakely, Leicester, John Smith,
George Washington Dixon etc. In those
days negro acts were OCCASIONALLY per-
formed on horseback in circuses, as we'll
as on the stage. In this way, between I'M
bounded admiration on the part of the
public and speculative fear on the part
of TIE managers, this kind of perfor-
nance struggled along here and there
until the late T. D. Rice, the acknowledge
ed father and founder of the Ethiopian
comedy, came to the front. He at once
filled the bill and the theaters too, where
ever he appeared, and sustained his sue
cess for thirty years afterward. A brief
sketch of this removed negro comedian
may not be uninteresting: 7. D. Rice
was bonn in the city of New York. May
20, 1908 At an early age he learned the
trade of carver, joined dramatic as
ISOLATION, and went to Kentucky und-
| er the management of n. M. Lud-
low, q well known western actor and man
ager.
While a member of this company he
displayed considerable talent as an imita-
tor of the negroes in their peculiarities
and eccentricities, and was at length an
nounced to make his first appearance in
a negro character in the city of Louisville.
Prior to this, however, he had played
both in New York and the west many low
comedy parts with success, but not until
he commenced his negro singing and bur
lesque operate performances was he con-
sidered Of sufficient note to render his
name attractive. In the fall Of 1882 he
made his Ethiopian debut at the old Bow
| cry theatre, New York, in the character of
''Jim Crow This character both on ac-
count Of its novelty and the excellence of
its representation, attained a popularity
unequalled by anything of the kind before
or since. Rice during that season is said
to have brought more money into the
Bowery treasury than any other American
/ performer during the same length of time
After most successful career in New
York, Boston, Philadelphia, and other
cities, he visited England in 1885 and per-
formed with great applause at the Surrey
London, as also in Dublin and Cork
creating Juror unprecedented even in
the annuls of the British stage, and almost
driving for a time from the boards such
favorites as Macready, the Woods,
and other distinguished performers.
While in England he married a Miss
Gladstone, the eldest daughter of a for
mer manager of the Surrey theatre. He
soon after returned to his native country,
appearing at Wallack's National theater,
corner Of Church and Leonard streets,
New York, Oct. II, 1887, in his speciality,
the "Virginia Mummy" For many years
subsequently Mr.. Rice was eagerly sought
after by the managers, and played as
'star" in nearly every theatre in the
Union. His popularity, however, waned
in his latter days, though he appeared,
eliciting much applause, as late as 1854.
Stricken finally with paralysis, his death
occurred, after season of prolonged suf-
fering, in the city of his birth, Sept. 10,
1860, at the age of So.
Mr.. Alfred Bum, in his "Stage, Both
Before and Behind the Curtain publish
ed in 1910, referring to Mr.. Rice, says:
His success has been obtained by his
prudent adhesion to the personation of
one class of character "a path, be it re-
membered, altogether untrodden. He has
chosen for his motto: Tt is better to be
great in a little thing than little in great
thing and he has triumphantly acted up
to the axiom"
The first regularly organized band of
negro MINISTRIES made their appearance
at the Chatham theater, New York city,
Feb. II, 1843.