The minstrel was an extraordinary, form of entertainment in early America. It played an integral role in constructing a musical representation of race in America through some ways. Although it began with white performers who used makeup and dialect in the portrayal of African Americans, it became very popular and had great impacts on show business. It did so through racial pigeon-holing of African Americans in the performing arts. In the 1880s, minstrelsy had changed and the notion that it was merely meant for the European Americans varnished. In all phases of show business, African Americans became managers, composers, performers, and owners. Nonetheless, some of the most successful troupes were still in the hands of the European Americans. It is noteworthy that the success of African-American minstrel came at great expense (Roy 42).
Minstrelsy also helped construct a musical representation of race in U.S. with the incorporation of African American culture being part of its appeal from the onset. For example, a person known as Thomas D. Rice indicated that they copied the idea of blackface from some African Americans…show more content… In fact, song was very instrumental in shaping the American folk music during the 20th Century (Roy 43). Minstrelsy was essential in both regarding the style and songs shared. It became the cultural expression of a project that was later considered as the American nation. Finally, one positive aspect of minstrelsy was that when it became renowned as the representation of black life, audiences sought the wellhead culture later became stylized images of black culture that provided codes for the wider representation of folk culture. Minstrelsy remains one of the best examples that enormously influenced the American’s performing art from the African American culture (Roy
