Minstrel show was the first uniquely American form of show business. Minstrel shows began in the 1840’s and reached their peak of popularity about 1870, though they existed until about 1900. Most minstrel shows were performed by white entertainers who blackened their faces to impersonate Black people. A few minstrel companies made up of African American performers also toured the United States. Minstrel shows reinforced negative images of African Americans that lasted long after the shows had disappeared.
In 1846, the American showman E. P. Christy organized the Christy Minstrels, the first important minstrel company. The American composer Stephen Foster wrote many of his best-known songs for the Christy Minstrels (see Foster, Stephen Collins). Christy developed the distinctive three-part format for the minstrel show. During the first part, the whole company sat in a semicircle on stage while the master of ceremonies, called the interlocutor, and the star performers, named Mr. Bones and Mr. Tambo, exchanged jokes. This part was followed by the olio, a variety section that featured such acts as comedy routines, sentimental songs, and dances. The third part of the minstrel show was a one-act skit.
Minstrel companies performed in permanent minstrel theaters in almost every major city in the United States, especially in the Northeast. Companies also toured smaller cities and towns.
