In theater and musical performance there are different ways for individuals to express social, racial and other forms of imitation in both positive and negative manners. One of the most infamous methods of social and political imitation in performance is blackface, which is defined as a performer who paints their face, wears a wig and adapts mannerisms which are stereotypical of the African American people. This type of performance is extremely negative in nature, yet is considered extremely entertaining in nature. Blackface has been in existence since the 18th and 19th centuries and has been televised up until the mid-20th century. Not only is blackface a method of performing songs, it also was used as a comedic performance for all types of audiences in America who appreciated the jokes associated with what blackface represented in the entertainment industry. This paper will examine the roots of the legacy of blackface performance and how it developed in both a political and a mode of entertainment in America.
According to Tick and Beaudoin (118-119), Stephen Foster was one of the top performers and musical composers who used blackface performances to write and perform songs that highlighted topics such as Jim Crow, which was a touchy topic in the South. Jim Crow was the name of the racial legal code of behavior which dictated segregation on all levels in society during the 19th and 20th centuries. The generally accepted stereotype of all African Americans was that they were all less intelligent than white people and would dance around clumsily, singing songs that made no sense with the sole purpose of making white audiences laugh at their stupidity (Tick and Beaudoin, 123). The general legacy of composers such as Stephen Foster was to make people laugh and entertain audiences by making them laugh at the irony of how ridiculous the blackface performer looked and sounded on stage. However, not everyone was pleased by the success of the minstrel in painted face.
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"The Legacy of Blackface".
Crawford (198-199) also stresses the political incorrectness of the performance of the blackface minstrels in America. Foster and others who made a career at dressing in blackface making fun of African Americans used the generally accepted stereotype of a race of people who have not harmed anyone and in fact made positive contributions to the music and entertainment industry as a whole is nothing short of shameful. Tick and Beaudoin (127) discuss how well-meaning members of minstrel groups as well as those who are members of various religious groups were charged with taking poems and other songs and making them more palatable and comical for performing while in blackface felt they were doing a great service to African Americans by doing what they were to bring attention to their race. However, what was actually occurring was a travesty which would set the stage for one of the most controversial forms of entertainment in America.
Throughout the late 1800s the minstrel shows in the United States began to travel abroad to Britain as well as other parts of Europe. Although Europe was not as educated on the ins and outs of slavery in America, the blackface minstrel performers were very popular and enjoyed a measure of celebrity outside of America (Crawford, 200). However, there was again a measure of controversy with these types of performances met with distain from those who felt that African Americans were being unfairly stereotyped in a negative fashion by those who not only were making the performances but were also attending the shows put on by these actors. Many felt that these shows should be boycotted because of the negative light African Americans were portrayed in.
There are countless examples of characters in blackface performance during the 20th century. For one, cartoon studios such as Warner Brothers and Walt Disney both had singing blackface characters such as Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny who would dress in traditional blackface costumes and sing and dance to make audiences laugh much as their human counterparts did in the 19th century (Crawford, 201). Cartoon songwriters and composers such as Carl W. Stalling had to manage their artistic creativity with what audiences were demanding to see on the screen, and often during the 1930s and 1940s they were demanding popular cartoon characters to perform in blackface like their human counterparts (Tick and Beaudoin, 422). This demand for blackface performance on film was made possible by Jazz singer Al Jolson which has been magnified by other performers during the first half of the 20th century.
Hollywood encouraged the blackface performer during the first half of the 20th century, including on the performance of films. This began with singer Al Jolson who dressed in blackface and performed his version of the song “Mammy” in the film The Jazz Singer. According to Tick and Beaudoin (418), Jolson, who himself was Jewish, was not entirely thrilled with the idea of performing in blackface. However, it is considered one of the most iconic performances on film in the early 20th century. Many film stars such as Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Shirley Temple and other iconic names of the silver screen had all performed in blackface on camera for the sake of entertaining the masses. The question then becomes how far should society go in order to make sure the audience is fully entertained at the expense of an entire race of people who essentially have done nothing wrong to others.
According to Crawford (201), the answer to that question would be that until the Civil Rights Era blackface minstrels were not considered negative in any way or form. In fact, they were considered a major cornerstone of American entertainment. In most circumstances white musicians and actors dressing in blackface putting on comical shows for the purpose of entertaining the masses was considered doing a valuable service for the community as a whole. No one for the most part really understood the damage this type of performance was having on society as a whole, but eventually the damage to the African American people became apparent. The blackface performers had to be stopped and order restored to the minstrel performances given after the 1960s.
To conclude this essay, it is important to reiterate the points first made in the beginning of this paper. In theater and musical performance there are different ways for individuals to express social, racial and other forms of imitation in both positive and negative manners. One of the most infamous methods of social and political imitation in performance is blackface, which is defined as a performer who paints their face, wears a wig and adapts mannerisms which are stereotypical of the African American people. This type of performance is extremely negative in nature, yet is considered extremely entertaining in nature. Blackface has been in existence since the 18th and 19th centuries and has been televised up until the mid-20th century. Not only is blackface a method of performing songs, it also was used as a comedic performance for all types of audiences in America who appreciated the jokes associated with what blackface represented in the entertainment industry. While it is a negative way to represent a specific racial group, it is a part of music history which cannot be ignored.
- Crawford, Richard. America’s musical life: a history. WW Norton & Company, 2001.
- Tick, Judith, and Paul Beaudoin, eds. Music in the USA: A Documentary Companion: A Documentary Companion. Oxford University Press, USA, 2008.
