Minstrel Shows And Songs: An Archival Collection Of Early American Books And Documents

The minstrel show, or minstrelsy, was a popular form of ‘black face’ entertainment in early 19th century America, influencing American vernacular songs and stage performances, but its popularity travelled beyond America, across both the Atlantic and the Pacific. When Commodore Matthew C. Perry arrived in Yokohama on 1853, for example, the American sailors organized a blackface minstrel band and performed the minstrels’ hit songs.

This 4-volume facsimile collection focuses on early minstrelsy material, particularly songs and performance records. Included are songbooks of famous Christy Minstrels, a performance guide for amateur troupes, sheet music and playbills, books that explore minstrelsy history. Numerous photos, illustrations and plates are also included.

The material gathered together is a unique and valuable primary source on the early history of American popular culture. Moreover, it provides an important historical view of the discriminative stereotypes of African American people from which they still suffer.