Minstrel Show (Noun)
Meaning 1
A variety show in which the performers are made up in blackface.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
A troupe of performers in blackface typically giving a comic program of negro songs and jokes.
Classification
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects.
Examples
- The minstrel show was a popular form of entertainment in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, often featuring white performers in blackface.
- The troupe's minstrel show was met with controversy due to its use of racial stereotypes and caricatures.
- In the early days of vaudeville, minstrel shows were a staple of the circuit, with many performers getting their start in these types of shows.
- The minstrel show's popularity began to wane in the mid-20th century as attitudes towards racial caricatures and stereotypes began to shift.
- The minstrel show's legacy is still debated today, with some viewing it as a relic of a racist past and others seeing it as a nostalgic reminder of a bygone era.