Lee Penatzer

July 25, 2005

Annotated Bibliography

Topic:

Minstrelsy - Did American Popular Culture influence national policy?  Did Blackface Minstrelsy influence the enactment or content of anti-slave legislation in Antebellum America?

 

 

            The research paper that I propose would answer the question: Did Blackface Minstrelsy influence the enactment or content of anti-slave legislation in Antebellum America?  It would be my intention to research the history of blackface minstrelsy, to understand why it was popular, to show the effects of this blatant form of racism on American culture, and to try to show that the shows actually influenced American politics.  Specifically, I hope to prove that the anti-slavery movement was influenced by this form of entertainment. 

 

 

Secondary Sources:

 

  1. Bean, James V. Hatch, and Brooks McNamara

Inside the minstrel mask : readings in nineteenth-century blackface minstrelsy /
Hanover, NH: Wesleyan University Press, c1996

 

            This book was written by a professor of English Studies (McNamara), along with a former managing editor of  The Drama Review.  The back cover states that this book uses good primary sources to give an account of nineteenth century blackface shows, and exciting new work on race, gender, and policy making decisions of the time.  I believe this book would be an excellent resource for my paper.  This book is in print, and is available via the internet : http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/product-description/0819563005/ref=dp_proddesc_0/103-6626216-4863806?%5Fencoding=UTF8&n=507846.  This book would take me 5-10 days to obtain.


  1. Cockrell, Dale.

Demons of disorder : early blackface minstrels and their world / Dale Cockrell. Cambridge New York: Cambridge University Press, 1997.

 

This book is a study of blackface minstrelsy in the first half of the 19th century.  It analyzes the roots of this form of entertainment, cultural expressions, and it archives the achievements in music history that minstrelsy produced.  I plan on using this book to help set the background on the paper.  It will help me understand how this form of entertainment became popular. This book is in print, and is available via the internet : http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0521568285/qid=1122313154/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/103-6626216-4863806?v=glance&s=books&n=507846.  This book would take 5-10 days to obtain.

 

 

  1. Emerson, Ken

Doo-dah! : Stephen Foster and the rise of American popular culture

New York: Simon & Schuster, c1997.

 

This book is written about of the most popular song writers of the antebellum period.  The rear cover of the book states that “The author is clear-sighted about the complex blend of racism and genuine compassion that infused Foster's "blackface" compositions”.  I am hoping that this book will provide valuable information about why the minstrel shows were written with such a strong racist slant.  I am This book is in print, and is available at the University of Georgia library in Athens, GA.  It would take me one day to obtain.

 

  1. Gilmore, Paul.

"DE GENEWINE ARTEKIL": WILLIAM WELLS BROWN, Blackface Minstrelsy, and Abolitionism.” American Literature 1997 69(4): 743-780.

 

This article is an excellent resource that has direct relevance to my topic.  It describes a former slave that ran away and escaped, who ended up using minstrel shows to give his anti-slavery message to audiences.  This is available online via Galileo/EBSCOhost. http://search.epnet.com.proxy-remote.galib.uga.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&an=29505.  I have obtained a copy of this article.

           

 

 

  1. Lhamon, W. T.

 Raising Cain: blackface performance from Jim Crow to Hip Hop Cambridge,  Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1998.

 

 

This book is a compilation of popular and obscure music and plays of the antebellum period.  The back cover states that the book describes how blackface minstrelsy ultimately liberated America. I believe this is an excellent book for my topic.  If it does include the promises of the back cover, my paper may already be outdated. This book is in print, and is available at the University of Georgia library in Athens, GA.  It would take me one day to obtain.

 

  1. Mahar, William J. (William John),

Behind the burnt cork mask: early blackface minstrelsy and Antebellum American, Urbana: University of Illinois Press, c1999.

 

This book is a very comprehensive study of blackface minstrelsy in America.  It also provides some information about the influence of this art form in other parts of the world (Europe).  Although it does not directly address the topic that I have chosen, it gives excellent references to period abolitionists and public sentiment regarding slavery and negro humor.. I already own this book.  This book would not take any time to obtain.

 

 

  1. Rogin, Michael. :THE TWO DECLARATIONS OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE.”  Representations 1996 (55): 13-30.

 

This article discusses the political and cultural revolution for independence during the Jackson presidency.   The description of the article states that part of this revolution is derived from blackface minstrelsy.   This article is owned by the University of Georgia library, Athens, GA.  It would take one day to obtain.

 

Primary Sources:

 

  1. Anonymous, “The Black Opera,” N.Y. Tribune, (June 31, 1855) ; Available from http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/utc/minstrel/miar46dt.html; Internet; accessed 21 July 2005

This source is a newspaper article of the time.  I expected to learn more about the content of the minstrel show that is being discussed, as well as to get some insight as to the general mood of the public as well as that of the newspaper.  The article contained a fairly detailed description of the show. This resource would be useful in describing a minstrel show, and how it is perceived by the public.  I was also hoping to find information about current politics, race issues, or protests that may have been associated with the show.  Unfortunately, this article was more of a review than a true news item.  This article is available online (see citation), and I have already obtained a copy.

 

 

  1. Douglas, Fredrick, “Gavitt’s Original Ethiopian Serenaders”,  The North Star, (June 29, 1849): 1; Available from http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/utc/minstrel/miar03at.html; Internet; accessed 21 July 2005

 

 

This article is an excellent source for the topic of my paper.  It was written by Fredrick Douglas, and it was published in The North Star, an anti-slavery publication of the time.  This article contains anti-racist text, prejudice in America, and pro-colored man sentiment.  This is exactly the type of information that I would need to make the case that minstrelsy had an effect on politics of the time.  Additionally, it gives a synopsis of the Minstrel show, “Gavitt’s Original Ethiopian Serenaders”, however it is quite different than most other reviews of the time. This article is available online (see citation), and I have already obtained a copy.

 

 

  1. Anonymous, “Obituary, not Eulogistic”, Dwight’s Journal of Music, Vol13, No. 15,(July 10, 1858): 118; Available from http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/utc/minstrel/miar46et.html; Internet; accessed 21 July 2005

 This journal article is describes the anti-minstrel support that existed during this period.  It is stating that blackface minstrelsy is dead, and it gives several reasons and examples to support its viewpoint.  The article is primarily focused on the statement that the music is of poor taste, cheap, and simple format, but it is laced with pro-black statements like “The effects of negro music… has degraded music”, and it states that burlesque is “vulgar”.  This article is available online (see citation), and I have already obtained a copy.