We wear the masks!
Minstrel shows were a type of entertainment that originated before the American Civil War and continued to be popular throughout the 19th century and into the 20th. The show consisted of white performers appearing in blackface which was done using burnt cork, often sitting in a semicircle on the stage and taking turns performing a variety of acts. The shows often had two emcees known as Mr. Tambo and Mr. Bones. The shows were heavily based on mocking and lampooning stereotypical black culture, but the music was also taken seriously for its artistic merit. The minstrel show was one of the few ways for actual black performers to be seen by a large audience. Sadly, they would also appear in blackface and often disguised the fact that they were actually black.
Minstrel shows were a type of entertainment that originated before the American Civil War and continued to be popular throughout the 19th century and into the 20th. The show consisted of white performers appearing in blackface which was done using burnt cork, often sitting in a semicircle on the stage and taking turns performing a variety of acts. The shows often had two emcees known as Mr. Tambo and Mr. Bones. The shows were heavily based on mocking and lampooning stereotypical black culture, but the music was also taken seriously for its artistic merit. The minstrel show was one of the few ways for actual black performers to be seen by a large audience. Sadly, they would also appear in blackface and often disguised the fact that they were actually black.