Black people did it for two reasons. One of the biggest reasons black entertainers wore blackface is because, very often, they couldn’t work in front of white audiences without it. During those times, white audiences didn’t want to see black performers as human beings, so the only way black artists could even think about making money was by playing a cartoonish, minstrel version of black people. Many entertainers still think that’s a great way to entertain people, but we’ll talk about Tyler Perry’s career another time.
So what is the other reason black people wore blackface?
The University of South Florida’s “History of Minstrelsy” says, “Blackface allowed actors and artists to hide behind a caricature while protesting and mocking the powerful without fear of retaliation. Minstrel performers could safely question authority while claiming to be acting out authentic African American expressions.”
Very interesting. Thanks for that history lesson!