Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-12-29
BURNT CORK DOTLETS.
Points on Minstrelsy-Gags that Have
Delighted Men of Brains.

new 1Ork Graphic.
Negro minstrelsy and negro melody are
the only arts to which we have any origi-
nal claim. Everything else is borrowed.
Negro melody belongs to the great family
of folk songs, and has no origin that does
not lie deep in the hearts and lives of the
negro race.
Negro minstrelsy is the first native effort
in a purely artistic direction. 1t dealt
with altogether new material. Here were
no precedents.
The negro race, with its peculiar and
strongly marked characteristics, was before
unknown to the stage But not only was
the material fresh, but the method of its
presentation was new.
As in an artistic work of value, it was
studied from the life. To present the plan
tation negro, his music, his poetry, his
humor, his dialect, his attitudes, was a
taste of more dignity than it has ever been
granted. Bones, banjo and Mr.. Johnson
with his dignity and polysyllables, are
three types which almost every plantation
furnished and are worth perpetuation.
The original minstrel was Dan Emmett.
whom correspondent has recently un-
earthed at Chicago, a feeble old man of 10.
Dan Emmett, according to his own story,
was born at Mount Vernon, o., in 1915
His father was blacksmith, and Dan was
brought up to work the bellows, but at u
could play so skillfully on the violin that
he transferred himself and his violin from
the blacksmith shop to Stickney's Circus.
In 1912 he organized the first band of
black cork minstrels, and produced those
studies Of darby life he had acquired in
his travels with the circus There were
four members, Frank Brewer, bones; Billy
Wintlock, banjo; Dick Pelham, tambour-
inc; Dan Emmett, violin. 1t came about
through an effort to serenade old man
Howe, of circus fame, in the Bowery. The
tune chosen was odd Dan Tucker" and
they made it ring. Boys" sail old man
Howe, you've got BANKED good thing
if you only know it,"
But no burnt cork was used until Pei
hams benefit at the Chatham-street The
alter, when the public went wild over the
great hit. No charge was made at the
subsequent performances, which were in a
gambling saloon, but a collection was
taken up at the door. The four men were
then engaged by Welch's Circus and paid
5000 week.
The company afterwards travelled
through the country, and in 1915 the first
local minstrel show was started in Chi
cago, and was known as Emmet's Vari-
cites. The success of Emmets Minstrels
was soon followed by the organization of
other troupes. One of the early famous
organizations was Christy's Minstrels,
which first brought into vogue long sue
cession of such songs as " Suwanee River"
sold Kentucky Home "Massa's in the
Cold, Cold Ground" which brought repu-
tation to Stephen G. Foster, the writer,
who died few years ago at Pittsburg.
These are called negro melodies, but are
such only in name, negro music having
entirely different ear-marks.
In the height of his success George
Christy took his minstrels to London,
where they became a permanent institu-
ton, and are doubtless there still. In
London they are called niger minstrels."
This strikes American ears strangely, for
even in ante-bellum days NEGRO Minis
trelsn was the accepted term here.
For many years the MINISTRIES and the
travelling families, such as the ffutchin-
sons aud the Swiss Bell-ringers, were the
only forms OF public amusements the coun-
try outside of the cities knew. 1t is i'm
possible to-day to realize the eager antici-
pltion that the news OF their coming gave.
The names of the old minstrels are house
hold words, but they are now either dead
or have gone into other pursuits. Bob
Hart still appears in his varied charac-
tiers rs preacher, senator, ETC. Billy Law
renee is a letter-carrier. Edwin Winchell
is in the railroad business. Billy Man
ming is dead, and the two men best known
in New York-Dan Bryant and Charley
Blekus-are both dead.
Bryant's Ministries, when they occupied