Use the website and documents below to answer the following questions. Your answers are due at the beginning of class Your answers must be typed and hand-delivered, I will not accept hand-written or emailed assignments.
This assignment is worth 4 participation points
http://en.wikipedia.orgAviki/Minstrel_show
- In general, how did minstrel songs depict African Americans? What do you think that these types of songs imply about the racial and social hierarchy of nineteenth-century America?
- How does the use of dialect (a regional variety of language, in this case “black speech”) in the minstrel shows reinforce racial stereotypes? Use specific examples from the 3 songs. Can you name some contemporary forms of expression or popular culture in which racial terms and depictions are acceptable?
- Who does the song “Mary and Sambo” blame for the interracial romance? Why?
- In your opinion, is the song “Pompey Moore” a critique of racism? Or is it an song that justifies racism? Explain your answer.
- In “Young Eph’s Lament”, how does the use of dialect reinforce racial stereotypes?
- Minstrel shows were MORE popular in the North than in the South. What does the popularity of minstrel shows reveal
about northern audiences?
Sample Solution