George Mason University
Chnm: The Minstrel Show
This site is from the Center for History and New Media. The information in this article may surprise you. Can you picture a Black man dressing up as a white man posing as a Black man to perform in a minstrel show mocking the Black man?...
Library of Congress
Loc: American Variety Stage: Forms of Variety Theater
The "variety" in the title of this piece comes in the choices you can make at the top of the page. You can scroll down to the minstrel show, or you can click on the words at the top of the page. The history of the minstrel show is...
University of Toronto (Canada)
University of Toronto: Daniel Decatur Emmett
This website provides a brief summary of the life and works of musician and songwriter, Daniel Decatur Emmet. Includes a link to the lyrics to "Dixie Land," which was written by Emmett.
Other
Fact Index: Minstrel Show
Fact-Index.com offers detailed information on the American minstrel show, including history, structure, characters, music, and legacy.
NPR: National Public Radio
Npr: The Legacy of Blackface
This site is an NPR two-part report for the Travis Smiley Show explores the history of Blackface and it's impact on society both past and present. There are related stories on Hip-hop and Racial Harassment.
Black Past
Black Past: Bert Williams
This encyclopedia article gives a good overview of the life of Bert Williams, a black entertainer of the early 1900's who broke many color lines.
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Minstrel Show
An in-depth look at minstrel shows is found in this encyclopedia article from Wikipedia. The site discusses the origins and rise in popularity during the Civil War, how the shows were structured in three different parts, typical stock...