“Whitewashing Blackface Minstrelsy in American College Textbooks” is an article by Joseph Byrd, in which he covers the roots of minstrelsy in America, its audience, major contributors and impact. The article also calls out an issue that is still seen today, the minimization or complete disappearance of this disturbing era in American History Textbooks.

Blackface comedy was a form of entertainment in which white performers stereotypically mimicked and mocked African Americans; parading around with their skin artificially darkened by burnt cork [1]. It originated in England in the mid-18^th century, but became an integral part of American culture by the middle of the 19^th century.

White actors who had seen “real life” blacks, imitated their performances in what were to become the first minstrel shows. Thomas Dartmouth Rice and George Washington Dixon being the pioneers of blackface performance, helped to create two of the popular characters common in minstrel shows; the bumblin’ country Jim Crow and the city slickin’ Zip Coon. These early blackface performances were well received and highly successful, inspiring a plethora of copycat performers who began to pop up and form troupes across the country.

Something that caught my attention was the theme of my previous paragraph. A white man, allegedly “observed” a black man dancing and  and was “inspired.” The white man then reproduces the work of the black man, repackages it in a more acceptable “white friendly” version, and voila! The white man profits. It’s the equivalent of someone plagiarizing your paper, submitting it and getting an A; when you originally received an F. This entire concept is still a present reality, however today it would be coined as “cultural appropriation.”

For example, look at musical artists like Eminem and Iggy Azalea. Eminem, a white American male (born Marshall Mathers), could arguably be named as one of the best rappers of our generation, despite rap/hip-hop historically being a solely African-American genre. Though many, including black hip-hop cosigners, can argue that Eminem is truly talented and deserves his many accolades, it’s challenging to say the same of Iggy Azalea, a white Australian female who was launched into rap superstardom via her golden blonde hair and exaggerated, stereotypical “blaccent” which can be observed in the video below. Though Iggy has yet to put on an actual blackface costume, the idea of mimicking black stereotypes in performance for profit can still be comparable to minstrelsy.

In its earlier years, the target audience for blackface were working class white males known as the lumpenproletariat. Marx and Engels likened this social class to a poor, nomadic tribe that were innately depraved [2]. Breaking down the word lumpenproletariat, we see lumpen and proletariat. For those familiar with Marxism, the proletariat are known as the working class. Cambridge defines the word lumpen as an adjective used to describe people who are poorly educated and ignorant, possessing no desire to change their situation. So in essence, uneducated labourers. In that time period, lower class working class whites and emancipated African-American slaves were in competition for jobs. The fear of the increasing number of African-American migrants coming in and overtaking the workforce is what spurred the Draft Riots of 1863 [3]. Given the tensions between black and white workers, it is understandable that minstrelsy appealed to the lower class white people. Seeing black people in a degrading manner likely empowered the white working class patrons. It likely gave them a feeling of reassurance in their perceived racial superiority. The dehumanizing nature of minstrelsy inspired new prejudice and ignorance in some, and strengthened the notion in others [4].

Seeing black people as lesser than was the foundation of the Jim Crow laws that were seen post-Civil War. The Jim Crow laws enforced the intentional segregation of African-American people in society. Businesses, schools, movie theatres and water fountains are just a few of the places that were explicitly labelled for “Whites” or “Colored.” Comparably to a load of laundry, “coloreds” could not dare to be found in a spot allocated for “whites only.” The name of the Jim Crow laws comes from none other than the infamous “Jim Crow” character created by blackface performer Thomas Dartmouth Rice. This just proves to show the impact of minstrelsy on America; a fictitious character became so mainstream that they became the stereotypical figurehead of black people to the point that laws were named after him.

Going back to the article, Byrd extensively covers many examples of the minstrel songs sung in this era, and their all of their problematic lyrics, omitting and censoring nothing. Though uncomfortable, it is important to look at history a whole, learning from the good, the bad and the ugly. However, “the ugly” (America’s extremely racist past) is often seen as an elephant in the room. It is awkward to discuss, as it makes people uncomfortable. Or to be more specific, it makes those who are still reaping the benefits of the mistreatment of African Americans (white people) uncomfortable or sometimes guilty. The long-term effects of slavery, segregation and racism can still be seen in Modern Day America. Systematic oppression, police brutality, and human rights movements like #BlackLivesMatter are evidence of this.

Personally, I believe most, if not all white people are innately aware of how America’s racist past has given them an upper hand, and how it still negatively impacts the black population today. Activist Jane Elliott can be seen tackling this idea in the video below:

Hitting the nail on the head, Jane challenges the “ignorance is bliss” mentality of many of her fellow white Americans. The fact that nobody stood up shows that they know that African Americans are not treated well in America to this date. Some, like to avoid (or even deny) the topic of racism and feign ignorance because racism makes them feel guilty. Though America is becoming more culturally diverse, White Americans still comprise a majority of the population. Textbook publishers know that the market, especially in the American educational system, is predominantly white, so they have that in mind when writing textbooks. Because the textbooks are written with a predominantly white audience in mind, this is likely why controversial subjects like minstrelsy and blackface are hardly covered, or even completely excluded. Waking up and smelling the coffee would challenge Americans to be morally responsible in acknowledging its country’s historical transgressions; and to work forward in establishing a restitutory solution. However, the idea of the sacrifices that this would entail are not appealing to many. This is why staying “asleep” and whitewashing or eliminating the upsetting parts of America’s history is a more preferred and commonly seen option.

1. Campbell, Michael. Popular Music in America: The Beat Goes on. 4th ed. Boston, MA: Schirmer Cengage Learning, 2013, 18.

2. Stallybrass, Peter. “Marx and Heterogeneity: Thinking the Lumpenproletariat.” Representations, no. 31 (1990): 69-95. doi:10.2307/2928400.

3. Man, Albon P. “Labor Competition and the New York Draft Riots of 1863.” The Journal of Negro History 36, no. 4 (1951): 375-405. doi:10.2307/2715371.

4. Campbell, Popular Music, 28.

5. Joseph Byrd (2009) Whitewashing Blackface Minstrelsy in American College Textbooks, Popular Music and Society,32:1, 77-86, DOI: 10.1080/03007760802207882

The article “Whitewashing Blackface Minstrelsy in American College Textbooks” by Joseph Byrd examines the history of blackface through minstrelsy, and its consequential pervasiveness through history. The article makes particular note of the lyrics of many “classic” American songs and their continued popularity today.  It also analyzes the lack of education regarding this topic in many college textbooks, and a seeming unwillingness for educators to include this topic sufficiently, or even accurately, in their curriculum.

Reading this article, I was astonished by the reluctance so many authors, who write works for educational purposes, have to including an accurate history of blackface and its residual effects in our world today. I was aware of this problem prior to reading this article, however, the examples provided really highlighted the complete inadequacy, and even the incorrectness, of many texts. I also was unaware that so many songs common today have been changed from incredibly racist lyrics, and stunned that these words were even written in the first place. For example, in “Oh Susanna,” the lyrics “De ’lectric fluid magnified, and killed five hundred nigger” are some that I’d never heard, despite knowing the song modern version of the song well.

The term “lumpenproletariat” was initially coined by Karl Marx in the “Communist Manifesto” in reference to the those lowest on the social and economic ladders. For example, it includes criminals and other “undesirables” (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2014).  In this article, lumpenproletariat is used in reference to a growing population in New York consisting of young, first-generation white immigrants who were paid little and often worked in unskilled labour, considered to be very low-class. They shared their economic status with first-generation free black people, but served as the primary audience for blackface shows. This shared economic status, but differing social status, resulted in increased racial tensions, which eventually led to the 1863 Draft Riots. Those on the same economic level were able to find mockery in the black community, lessening their social status even further. Blackface shows served to cement the black community’s status as the absolute lowest of the low, and the lack of education in its primary audience explains the crudeness of these shows. Many minstrel lyrics included harsh physical “slapstick” humour against the black community, a type of humour enjoyed by uneducated. They employ the slang common among the lumpenproletariat group, and use catchy, easy to remember melodies (Byrd, 2009). This is partially why many of these songs are common in the modern day, albeit with altered lyrics.

Jim Crow was a character in minstrelsy created by Thomas Dartmouth Rice and George Washington Dixon and which persisted for over a century. As anti-black sentiments continued, laws which segregated them from the white community and limited their rights arose. These, as a genre, became known as Jim Crow laws (Urofsky, 2017). These included segregation in schools and public transportation, and later in parks, cemeteries, restaurants and theatres (Urofsky, 2017). It also included “etiquette” rules, such as blacks and whites being forbidden to eat together, white people had the right of way at intersections, and black males being prohibited from shaking hands with white males or females (What was Jim Crow”). They served to further the degradation of the black community and enforce their low state of socio-economic status.

Byrd goes about his analysis in a matter-of-fact way that is both refreshing and educational. He presents the facts, and allows them to speak for themselves. The facts simply, are this. Minstrel shows, were incredibly racist, both at the time of their creation, and in how they have persisted throughout history. Much of this racism has been eliminated from history, and educators are reluctant, or incapable, of teaching this important part of history sufficiently. Minstrel shows provided and reinforced a great deal of racial stereotypes, and were an important component of the racist system that was set in place during their time. What is most important about these shows in history, however, is how they have impacted our present. It is incredibly important for people in the modern world to be keenly aware of exactly what has happened in the past, and how it affects us, or our neighbours, today. Without knowledge, there can be no change. And while society has come a long way, the racist system is still in place, and people of colour still suffer as a result. Despite the cliché, I find the quote “Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it” particularly potent here.

I believe that there are many reasons that textbooks skirt around this material, but none of which are acceptable excuses. For one, I think that a lot of people today are unaware of the intense racism that occurred in minstrel shows. As a result, I think that the authors of textbooks are either unaware, or feel ill-prepared, to discuss such a topic in their work. I also believe that there are many who are aware of the importance of this branch of history, but do not feel they can adequately discuss it, and so avoid the topic completely. The lack of education on this topic only serves to sustain this cycle. Finally, I would posit that many authors, particularly white authors, feel uncomfortable, or even embarrassed, to discuss this topic. There is no way to sugarcoat the racism in history, and avoidance is easier than confrontation. Especially when you consider that everyone in society continues to take part in a racist system. This is a problem we have yet to solve, and for many, it is simply easier to ignore than to learn, understand, and educate.

#M2Q1

Works Cited

Joseph Byrd (2009) Whitewashing Blackface Minstrelsy in American College Textbooks, Popular Music and Society, 32:1, 77-86, DOI: 10.1080/03007760802207882

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Lumenproletariat.” Encyclopaedia Britannica. December 3, 2014. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Lumpenproletariat

Urofsky, Melvin I. “Jim Crow Laws.” Encyclopaedia Britannica. July 19, 2017. https://www.britannica.com/event/Jim-Crow-law

“What Was Jim Crow.” Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia. https://ferris.edu/jimcrow/what.htm

The Minstrel Show, the less than glamorous past of popular music. Preformed in blackface the show was a high energy, often improvised and mainly spoken in “a caricature of African-American speech” (Campbell). In the article Whitewashing Blackface Minstrelsy in American College Textbooks by Joseph Byrd we are told that blackface comedy was adopted from England and eventually evolved into what was the Minstrel Show.

Byrd defines those who were the main audience of the blackface shows which inspired minstrelsy as lower class males. the exact word used to describe the situation was lumpenproletariat. defined as such: “the lowest stratum of the industrial working class, including also such undesirables as tramps and criminals.” (Britannica). With this knowledge we gain a bit of insight on what the blackface shows were geared towards. This show wasn’t intended for those in a higher class, it was catered towards the poor Irish immigrants. As mentioned in the article the inspiration for the music style present leaned towards Irish folk music. This choice most likely added to the appeal of the show.  The horrible misrepresentation of the African-American people of the time most likely added to the success of the shows. Perhaps it made the immigrants feel a step above their black counterparts.

Although the slavery had since ended, the States were bound by a set of segregation laws nicknamed the “Jim Crow Laws” after the reoccurring character in the minstrel shows, the country bumpkin Jim Crow. Below i’ve inserted a short clip of a blackface actor doing a Jim Crow dance.

Jim Crow eventually became a racial slur used to refer to all black people in America, hence the naming of the racial segregation laws the Jim Crow Laws. To expand upon the laws a bit more it was practices like separate schools for whites and blacks, different parks, even different restaurants for white and black people. The idea behind the Jim Crow laws is that whites and blacks were to be “separate, but equal”.

In the early minstrel shows run by the Virginia Minstrels i was shocked to learn how offensive the lyrics were towards African-American people. Here are some lyrics from Old Dan Tucker that were featured in Byrd’s article.

“Tucker on de woodpile, can’t count ’lebben,
Put him in a featherbed, him gwine to hebben,
His nose so flat, his face so full,
De top of his head like a bag of wool.”

“This would become the essence of American
popular song…Note also that, in just one quatrain, Emmett has managed to employ at least three racist stereotypes: blacks are larcenous, stupid, and ugly.” (Byrd)

Its shocking to think that something like this would gain the popularity it did. I even did some browsing to see if i could find the original lyrics  of Old Dan Tucker 0nline to listen to. But it seems even those have been swept under the rung. Some of the songs sung even implied that it was assumed that African-Americans were happier in slavery than they were being free. This mindset most likely impacted the reason the segregation of white and black people lasted for so long, or why the Jim Crow laws even had to exist.

People don’t like to talk about messy parts of history, and minstrelsy is a portion of that so called messy past. In Canada perhaps you could liken the lack of talking about treatment of indigenous people in the past to that of minstrelsy. Despite being less glamorous than other music history blackface entertainment like the minstrel show still existed no matter how much one tries to cover it up. I think its important to learn from our mistakes and grow into a greater society because of it. Hiding the not so nice stuff won’t help the learning process, no amount of rewriting of lyrics or removing of verses will change the actual lyrics of a song. The Minstrel show was to a degree the start of easily accessed entertainment for the average person, the songs were catchy and upbeat and they toured around providing entertainment for many. Thats why i think its so important to learn about these things, its hard to understand music history as a whole when parts are being left out.

Sources:

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Lumpenproletariat.” Encyclopædia Britannica. December 03, 2014. Accessed July 19, 2018. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Lumpenproletariat.

Joseph Byrd (2009) Whitewashing Blackface Minstrelsy in American College Textbooks, Popular Music and Society, 32:1, 77-86, DOI: 10.1080/03007760802207882

Urofsky, Melvin I. “Jim Crow Law.” Encyclopædia Britannica. July 19, 2017. Accessed July 18, 2018. https://www.britannica.com/event/Jim-Crow-law.

Hello again! Taylor here. In today’s blog I am going to be discussing an aspect of history that has helped shape popular music, along with blues and jazz. These genres have been influenced by many things over time, but for now I am going to focus on minstrel shows. 

As described by Joseph Byrd in his article “Whitewashing Blackface Minstrelsy in American College Textbooks”, the minstrel shows were performances of song and dance, along with mockeries of lectures, opera and concert music. They were originally created in England by Charles Dibdin. In his shows, black people were made fun of in comical performances. Eventually this theme moved its way to the United States: a place where African-American slaves were a part of regular life. Slavery soon became a popular theme in minstrelsy.

Here is a clip of a minstrel show.

Another composer Byrd talks about is Dan Emmett, who created a quartet called the Virginia Minstrels. This was where “true blackface minstrelsy began”.[1] In Emmett and the Virginia Minstrels’ shows, they used the banjo and the Americanized fiddle.

He goes on to explain two very important composers of the minstrel shows. They were Thomas Dartmouth “Big Daddy” Rice and George Washington Dixon. Together, in the 1830s, they created the most popular characters of minstrelsy:  Jim Crow and Zip Coon. These characters’ songs and dances became extremely popular. Other shows were quick to follow their lead, causing minstrelsy to become mainstream music.

Another composer Byrd talks about is Dan Emmett, who created a quartet called the Virginia Minstrels. This was where “true blackface minstrelsy began”.[1] In Emmett and the Virginia Minstrels’ shows, they used the banjo and the Americanized fiddle.

Alongside Emmett, Byrd brings up Stephen Foster, an additional important figure of the minstrel shows.  He composed songs that were based on extremely exaggerated stereotypes of the African- American slaves, idolizing and enforced the ideas of slavery. His lyrics focused on spreading horrible lies that said African-Americans had freedom to stop work whenever they wanted and that they were happier as slaves. One of Foster’s most popular songs was his 1848 hit ‘‘Oh! Susanna.”  In the song, the language of the African-American characters contains poor speech skills, portraying them as dumb. This became very popular in minstrelsy lyrics. By 1864, Foster became “America’s minstrel”.[2] As a result, the misconceptions, created by Foster and the other composers of the show, worked their way into the white audience’s daily life.

Stephen Foster: “Oh Susanna!” *Notice the spelling and grammar of the lyrics*

Byrd explains that these racist themes and ideas of the minstrel shows had a major impact on society. Not only could people attend the show, they could buy the sheet music to take home and play as well.

Constant exposure to misconceptions caused the racial conflict to stand strong. People truly believed African-Americans were better off as slaves and they had no worth to society. Because the show was comical for the white, working class audience, it caused minstrel songs to quickly become mainstream.

The racism from the minstrelsy was pushed on and continued past the performances. It even contributed to the racism that continued on into the 20th century. However, Byrd points out that it is usually avoided in textbooks. Authors tend to skip over the racism and only cover a very small portion of minstrel history. Even in college level textbooks, authors avoid the uncomfortable topics of minstrelsy.[3]

In this article I was interested to learn that the minstrel shows did not originate in the United States. The U.S. was a place where slavery was common and racial conflict was high, and where I would assume minstrelsy would come from.

I was also shocked to see inserts of the actual lyrics of the songs. The racism and portrayal of African-Americans is outrageous and hard to believe as actually true.

In Byrd’s article he states that “male youth culture was evolving into a lumpenproletariat”.[4] Byrd is using the term “lumpenproletariat” to refer to the working, low class group of white males that made up the audience at minstrel shows who are laughing at the African-American characters.[5] Therefore, African-Americans are being viewed as even lower than the already low class audience. This displays how little African-Americans meant to white people in this time in history. They were categorized as lower than the already low working class, explaining why the lyrics and portrayals of African-Americans in minstrel songs were so crude and reprehensible.

We now approach the genre of minstrelsy at a harsher angle. After learning the truth behind the comical shows, they lose their happy and comical mask they have been hiding behind. By no means were the minstrel shows innocent, harmless comedies. We now approach the genre knowing the cruel lyrics and portrayals were intentionally created to amuse the white working class.

This extreme extent of racism is what also helped create the Jim Crow laws. The Jim Crow laws were “a collection of state and local statutes that legalized racial segregation.”^[6] The name is derived from one of the key characters in minstrelsy: Jim Crow. These laws separated the white people from the black in almost every public place. For example, public facilities like restaurants, waiting rooms, hospitals, parks and theaters were segregated. Both races could never use the same facilities at the same time, even though they were for the public. Signs were posted everywhere warning black people to stay out. Danger and violence had become a normal part of their lives up until after WWII when the civil rights movement began.[7]

Today, textbooks avoid the harsh racist reality of the minstrel shows, ignoring the fact that white people truly enjoyed them. I believe the reasoning is because it is hard to face such a dark past. No one wants to admit that such crude entertainment was loved by people and brought into their homes in the form of sheet music.  It is embarrassing to admit that people of your country took part in such a racist show. Therefore, it is important to face the reality of Minstrel shows and take accountability. We need to create a better understanding how racism impacts the world, even today. This way, we can make up for any wrong done and prevent it in the future.

[1] Joseph Byrd “Whitewashing Blackface Minstrelsy in American College Textbooks,” Popular Music and Society, 32:1, (2009): 78, DOI: 10.1080/03007760802207882

[2] Ibid. 82

[3] Joseph Byrd “Whitewashing Blackface Minstrelsy in American College Textbooks,” Popular Music and Society, 32:1, (2009): 77-86, DOI: 10.1080/03007760802207882

[4] Ibid. 78

[5] “Lumpenproletariat,” The Free Dictionary, accessed July 14, 2018, https://www.thefreedictionary.com/lumpenproletariat

[6] “Jim Crow Laws,” History.com, July 15, 2018, http://www.history.com/topics/jim-crow-laws

[7]Ibid.  

Works Cited

Byrd, Joseph. “Whitewashing Blackface Minstrelsy in American College Textbooks,” Popular Music and Society, 32:1, (2009): , DOI: 10.1080/03007760802207882

“Jim Crow Laws,” History.com, July 15, 2018, http://www.history.com/topics/jim-crow-laws

“Lumpenproletariat,” The Free Dictionary, accessed July 14, 2018, https://www.thefreedictionary.com/lumpenproletariat

Whitewashing Blackface Minstrelsy in American College Textbooks, by Josphep Byrd reveals the dark side of history during blackface minstrelsy entertainment in America and analysis how the topic is described in main of our textbooks. The article discusses the lack of information that is provided in music history textbooks and challenges the ways that the history involving racism become distorted. This period of music and theatre was influencing society and culture, which draws the importance to know the whole depth of history. Byrd’s approach is necessary for challenging our system so that we are made aware of the racism that occurred and to prevent such racism from escalating again.

The article was quite eye-opening. It didn’t shy away at exposing the history that so many of our textbooks were choosing to leave out. The educational system fails at giving all the necessary information for a deeper understanding of history. It chooses to leave out valuable information that can help round an opinion, but this ignorance is what leads to more racism and a more hateful society. The misrepresented history of blackface minstrelsy and other points of history can’t continue to be hidden and forgotten. It is necessary to have a better understanding of our past for a better future.

The minstrel show main audience for blackface shows was lower-class males, which included the “lumpenproletariat.” The lumpenproletariats were low paid and unemployed first generation whites and Irish immigrants trying to survive during the time of an unskilled labour force, which included first-generation free blacks. This mix had eventually brought about the Draft Riots. This audience base allows us to see their primary target was the lower-class; not very well educated people. This crow base was able to be easily influenced by the rude, bias humor. This lower-class intended humor spread to other classes causing America to become subjected to racism.

In 1832, Thomas Dartmouth Rice claimed to observe African-American street performers. He copied the performer’s acts and brought it to stage. He created Jim Crow as his character that was his interpreting a caricature of a clumsy, dimwitted black slave. As a result of Rice, by the 1830’s ‘Jim Crow’ had become a pejorative expression. When the southern legislature passed laws of segregation directed against African-Americans at the end of the 19th century, these statutes became known as “Jim Crow laws.” These new laws meant a separation from whites and “people of colour” from public transportation, schools, and from businesses and facilities. “Jim Crow” was more than a series of rigid anti-black laws. African-Americans were regulated to the status of second-class citizens.

It is important to understand the reality of our history because we can’t be ignorant parts, and only acknowledge one side of history. In order to tackle racism, we need to have a better understanding of the past, and that includes knowing blackface minstrel entertainment and songs. Textbooks shouldn’t be leaving out information because it causes misconceptions. The distorted historical facts are misguiding students. The textbooks can’t skim over or shy away from showing the truth during that time because people need to be aware the racism that existed, that was influencing the evolution of music, and society. This material was avoided because it was raw and exposed the truth. However, information like this needs to be out there. This music shaped society and led to cultural appropriation. To better our futures we need to know the history and how everything has evolved from our past and helps to avoid anything like that to happen again.

resources

https://www-tandfonline-com.cyber.usask.ca/doi/pdf/10.1080/03007760802207882?needAccess=true

         Whitewashing Blackface Minstrelsy in American College Textbooks by Joseph Byrd provides a overview of the history of blackface minstrelsy in America and a critique of how the topic is examined in many college textbooks. Challenging the way textbooks downplay or distort the history of racism in the entertainment industry. This critical approach is ultimately necessary if one is going to play a part in challenging the racist structures still present in our time.

         Something that caught my attention is my first reading of this article was of how many textbooks misrepresented the history of blackface minstrelsy. Education is central to challenging oppression in any form. Misrepresenting history as many textbooks do is simply an invitation to repeat the mistakes of the past within an uninformed audience. Ignorance is often the place in society in which hateful biases are breed, growing forth into actions. Hopefully with critiques like the one offered in this article more authors and publishers will present a more truthful version of history, that will help us understand the past and work towards a brighter future.

         The article uses the term lumpenproletariat to describe “the primary audience for blackface shows was lower-class urban males”(Byrd). As defined in the Oxford Dictionary a lumpenproletariat is “(especially in Marxist terminology) the unorganized and unpolitical lower orders of society who are not interested in revolutionary advancement” (Oxford Dictionaries). This perfectly describes the audience of the early minstrels whose racial biases were easily stroked by these performances as group-think and racial tensions grew. This deepens our understanding of the genre in that as much as it carried the attitudes of the genre to all levels of society, it was originally intended as crude humor for the uneducated lower classes. However, its message of racism connected to the biases of many Americans and it spread beyond its original demographic. A lesson can be learned for us today, in that tolerating oppression in even the smallest isolated form such as crude humor is inviting it to continue and spread.

          The racist cultural influence of minstrelsy was so pronounced that it even inspired naming laws. The oppressive Jim Crow laws were “laws or practices designed to separate whites and blacks in public and private facilities. Used in Southern states of the United States to preserve segregated schools, transport facilities, and housing, until the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ was declared unconstitutional in 1954”(Oxford Reference). These laws are named after a popular minstrel character named Jim Crow, a “ragged rural hobo” created by Thomas Rice and George Dixon in the 1930s (Byrd).

          Perhaps at its best our textbook Popular Music In America: The Beat Goes On states that “minstrelsy cultivated prejudice and ignorance in some and reinforced it in others”(Campbell); however, while true this is offers a limited understanding at best. In order to effectively challenge racism we need to understand the systems and structures that support it, and we do not gain that understanding from the five delicately phrased and evasive paragraphs this text offers. Ignorance can only be displaced by education. Sadly at the end of the day American textbooks are produced for and purchased by American colleges. This provides an financial incentive to authors to whitewash any history that may be uncomfortable or conflict with their consumers biases. Eventually as critics like Byrd highlight and challenge the ways history is obscured, a clearer view may come to light. For now though it remains our responsibility to be critical, value education, and do our part as informed citizens to build a better tomorrow for all.

Bibliography

Byrd, Joseph. “Whitewashing Blackface Minstrelsy in American College Textbooks.” Popular Music and Society 32, no. 1 (02 2009): 77-86. doi:10.1080/03007760802207882.

Campbell, Michael. Popular Music in America: The Beat Goes on. Cengage, 2019.

“Jim Crow Laws – Oxford Reference.” Social Class and Sport – Oxford Reference. June 16, 2017. http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100020789.

“Lumpenproletariat | Definition of Lumpenproletariat in English by Oxford Dictionaries.” Oxford Dictionaries | English. https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/lumpenproletariat.