The Monstrous Minstrels

Though we didn’t meet for Thursday’s class this week, I was still able to take something away from the readings assigned. These texts focused on the struggles early African-Americans faced and the way in which they used music to make it through that point in time. The first few writings relayed how slaves used music, however, with drastic limitations. The writings, soon after, divulged me in a subject which I shared some prior knowledge on, Minstrel shows.

             These shows were an American theatrical form based around the comical interpretation of African stereotypes. Taking place in the 19^th and 20^th centuries, racial discrimination was never a concern for the wealthy, white attendees. Early on, Minstrel shows were acted out by white performers adorning blackface and adopting the exaggerated qualities of what they understood it meant to be black. Minstrels were a combination of song and dance, with “comical racism” dispersed throughout. Interestingly enough, these shows were able to take an even darker turn during the 20^th century allowing women and African-Americans to take part as well.

            These texts have taught me one thing in particular. The fact of the matter is, we were a cruel, uncaring bunch of humans for a long span of time. Minstrel shows were used as a catalyst for the continuation of racial separation. Fortunately, now we are able to be exposed to these videos and texts from a different light, depicting exactly where we went wrong in the past thus, we don’t risk repeating our ancestors’ mistakes.