A History of the Minstrel Show [Paperback]

Frank W. Sweet (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2000

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 showÂ’s folk origins, outlines a typical performance, and traces its legacy in American entertainment today.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Frank W. Sweet is a Ph.D. candidate in history at the University of Florida in Gainesville. He recently retired from a lifelong career in electrical engineering as a computer scientist. He has earned a master's in Civil War studies at American Military University in Manassas, Virginia and is now working on his doctorate. A well-known nineteenth century living history interpreter, he is the author of numerous booklets currently sold at museum and state park gift shops throughout Florida. His two areas of interest and expertise are (1) military tactics of the Civil War and (2) antebellum race relations. He lives with his wife (also a re-enactor) in Palm Coast, Florida.

Product Details

• Paperback: 36 pages
• Publisher: Backintyme (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0939479214
• ISBN-13: 978-0939479214
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,217,037 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Terrific Introduction to this Complex Topic., February 4, 2007

By 

Joseph F. Panzica "Joe Panzica" (Greenfield, MA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A History of the Minstrel Show (Paperback)

This book is self published, but its presentation and content put MANY slicker publications to shame. The professionalism and artistry that Frank Sweet brings to this subject will make you want to read more of his works. It might just make you want to send him money.

Sweet traces the influences on blackface back to late medieval Europe - and also to traditional Africa. He covers the troubled relationships in ante-bellum America between immigrant Europeans and blacks (slave and free) and brings his history of pre-electric pop culture up into the twentieth century.

You may well be left wanting more, but you may well also be hard pressed to find a more deft and gracious handling of the topic in the raft of academic research that has emerged around it in the past twenty or so years.

4.0 out of 5 stars Short 'n Sweet, November 22, 2008

By 

Hilah (Pennsylvania, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A History of the Minstrel Show (Paperback)

Sweet's booklet is a very quick read, but it incorporates a lot of fascinating tidbits and is well worth the price.

Sweet draws parallels between the disdained ranks of the Irish and African Americans during the Industrial Revolution; showing how they bickered, yet merged in a "musical osmosis"(6) that influenced many genres.

He provides insightful origins to a slew of things- ranging from the banjo to "Jim Crow," black face make-up, and even the moonwalk.

He evaluates the socioeconomic climate of mid to late 1800's, as well as the conflicting receptions minstrel shows received from the north and south.

In the final section, he lists dozens of ways minstrel shows have effected today's entertainment- from the circus, to Monty Python, to dance choreography.

I recommend this booklet as a great historical intro. It provides basic understanding and is a short read, appropriate for anyone with a busy schedule or surfacing interest in the minstrel show. Sweet gives just enough details to educate his audience, while perhaps inspiring further research.

5.0 out of 5 stars History of black face and the banjo, August 11, 2007

By 

Julie Olivia Buse (Yakima, WA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A History of the Minstrel Show (Paperback)

A very good book on black face minstrel and how consides the banjo. Anyone interested in the minstrel shows should read this book.