Minstrel show

The minstrel show was an American form of entertainment. It was developed in the 19th century. Each show was of comic skits, dancing and music performances that showed people of African descent. The shows were played by mostly white people in makeup or blackface for the purpose of playing black people. There were also some African American performers and black-only minstrel groups that formed and toured.

Minstrel shows parodied blacks and African Americans as happy-go-lucky, lazy and dim-witted.

Minstrel shows came out as brief burlesques in the early 1830s in the Northeastern United States. They were developed into full-fledged form around the next decade.

By the turn of the 20th century, the minstrel show was a shadow of its former popularity. It was replaced for the most part by vaudeville.

References

Category:19th century in the United States
Category:American music