A History of the Minstrel Show

This title will go out of print on November 30, 2008. New copies will no longer be available after that date. The book's entire content is now Chapter 1 of Six Gems of Forgotten Civil War History (ISBN 0939479028).

Minstrelsy was a uniquely American art form that began about 1840, peaked around 1860, and continued as the most popular theater in America until about 1895. This booklet examines the minstrel show?’s folk origins, outlines a typical performance, and traces its legacy in American entertainment today.