Blackface Minstrelsy Resources: Music Scores, and Songsters, and Recordings
This guide has been developed by The Center for American Music to provide resources for researching blackface minstrelsy and other demonstrations of blackface performance.
WARNING: This Libguide contains images and text from blackface minstrelsy, a theatrical genre that involved demeaning caricatures of Black people rooted in racism and white supremacy.
Music Scores
Turkey in the straw; arranged
Call Number: Music Library Choral Collection 2298
A hot time in the old town by Hayden, Joe; Metz, Theo. A.
Call Number: Shelved Alphabetically by composer
Amy Rosy Lee : Negro song / as sung by Dumbleton’s Minstrels by Dumbleton, H.
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 39, no. 47
Angelina Baker by Foster, Stephen C.
Call Number: M1622.F67 A53 1850c
Publication Date: 1850
Away down South by Foster, Stephen C.
Call Number: M1621.F677 A92 1848
Publication Date: 1848
Babylon is fallen! : song and chorus by Work, Henry C.
Call Number: M1640.W67 B32 1863
Publication Date: 1863
Beneath the weeping willow, or, Slave’s lament / as sung by Wood’s Minstrels by Sedgwick, A.
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 39, no. 23
Boatman’s dance : a popular song : composed for the piano forte / sung by the Virginia Minstrels.
Call Number: M1622.E66 B62
Camptown races / as sung by Christy’s Minstrels with immense success by Foster, S.C.
Call Number: M1622.F67 G95 1850g
Publication Date: 1850
Carry me back to old Virginny : song and chorus by Bland, James A.
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 56, no. 2
Carve dat possum : for mixed voices by Lucas, Sam; Cain, Noble
Call Number: Music Library Choral Collection 6090
Come buy hot corn / as sung by Miss Melville in the drama Hot corn now performing at the National Theatre, Boston by Holloway, John
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 25, no. 32
Commence ye darkies all : plantation melody by Corrister, W.D.
Call Number: M1622.C67 C65 1849
Publication Date: 1849
Dandy Jim & Old Dan Tucker.
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 24, no. 47
Dandy Jim’s delight.
Call Number: M1628 .D263 1860
Publication Date: 1860
Darling Minnie Lee / as sung by Buckley’s Serenaders by Smith, Jr., W. Dexter; Catlin, E.N.
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 20, no. 53
Darling Nelly Gray by Hanby, Benjamin
Call Number: M1622.H36 D37 1856
Publication Date: 1856
De ol’ ark’s a-moverin’ by Guion, David R.
Call Number: Shelved alphabetically by composer
Dearest Mae : a celebrated Ethiopian song / sung by the Harmoneons ; by Power, James; Lynch, Francis
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 52, no. 50
Dilly burn by Meeser, Geo. F. ; Harvey, William B.
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 25, no. 16
Dolcy Jones by Foster, S.C.
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 7, no. 48
Early in de morning : song and chorus / as sung in the popular play of Uncle Tom’s cabin now performing with immense success at the Boston Museum by Comer, Thomas
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 26, no. 37
Emma Snow : an original song & chorus / as sung by the Campbell Minstrels.
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 13, no. 29
Farewell ladies by Christy, E.P.
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 13, no. 32
Farewell, my Lilly dear : a plantation melody / as sung by Christy's Minstrels by Foster, Stephen
Call Number: M1622.F67 F36 1851d
Publication Date: 1851
Fi hi hi : the black shakers song & polka by Horn, Even
Publication Date: M1 .A15 vol. 24, no. 77
History ob de world / as sung by A.F. Winnemore and his band of Serenaders by Clapp, Augustus
Call Number: M1622.C63 H57 1847
Publication Date: 1847
I seen her at the window : a song by Carter, J.P.
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 13, no. 28
I wish I was in Dixie’s land by Emmett, Daniel
Call Number: M1630.3.D4 E45 1860b
Publication Date: 1860
I’d like to hear that song again by Irving, Bob; Penn, William
Call Number: M1622.I78 I34 1899
Publication Date: 1899
I’m going back to Alabam’ to die : plantation melody : song and chorus by Rutledge, John T.
Call Number: M1622.R87 I43 1878
Publication Date: 1878
I’se gwine to leave old Dixie : companion to ("I’se gwine back to Dixie") by Cooper, George; White, C.A.
Call Number: M1622.W54 I83 1879
Publication Date: 1879
I’ve wandered by the hut side.
Call Number: 79
Jane Monroe.
Call Number: Shelved alphabetically by composer
Jenny Lane by Buckley, R. Bishop
Call Number: M1 A15 vol. 25 no. 26
Jim Crow : a comic song / as sung in character at the theatres by Mr. G.W. Dixon
Call Number: M1621 .J55
Jordan is a hard road to travel.
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 11, no. 42
Julius’ bride / as sung by Geo. N. Christy by Christy, E.P.
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 23, no. 30
Kingdom comin by Work, Henry Clay
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 19, no. 47
Lou’siana Belle. by Foster, Stephen
Call Number: M1621.F677 L68 1847b
Lucy Long : with variations by Hunter
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 43, no. 22
Ma honey’s coon-jine : a plantation oddity : introducing "My old Kentucky home" by Dean, Harry
Call Number: M25.D27 M3 1896
Publication Date: 1896
Mary Blane by German, F.C.; Howard, J. H.
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 23, no. 35
Massa’s in de cold ground by Foster, Stephen
Call Number: M1622.F67 M37 1895
Publication Date: 1895
My brodder Gum by Foster, Stephen
Call Number: M1621.F677 M93 1849b
Publication Date: 1849
y gal is a high-born lady : a swell colored affair in verse and song by Fagen, Barney
Call Number: Shelved alphabetically by composer
My good old darkey home by T. Eckstein ; music by J.A. Janke.
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 25, no. 17
My old Kentucky home, good night by Foster, Stephen
Call Number: M1622.F67 M96 1853
Publication Date: 1853
Nancy Till
Call Number: M1622 .N36 1851
Publication Date: 1851
Nelly Bly by Foster, Stephen
Call Number: M1622.F67 N45 1850b
Publication Date: 1850
Nelly was a lady by Foster, Stephen
Call Number: M1624.F67 N46 1849
Publication Date: 1849
No slave beneath that starry flag by George Lansing Taylor ; music by Mrs. Parkhurst.
Call Number: M1640.P37 N67 1864
Publication Date: 1864
O where is de spot dat we was born on / as sung by the Harmoneons by M.S. Pike ; arranged by L.V.H. Crosby.
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 13, no. 27
O! boys carry me ’long : original Negro melody by Stephen Foster
Call Number: M1622.F67 O42 1851d
Publication Date: 1851
Oh! Lemuel! : go down to de cotton field : Ethiopian song / as sung by the Christy Minstrels by Stephen Foster
Call Number: M1622.F67 O44 1850
Publication Date: 1850
Oh! Susanna / sung by G.N. Christy of the Christy Minstrels. by Stephen Foster
Call Number: M1621.F677 S96 1848h
Publication Date: 1848
Old Black Joe by Stephen Foster
Call Number: M1671.F67 O52 1877e
Publication Date: 1877
Old dog Tray by Foster, Stephen
Call Number: M1622.F67 O53 1853b
Publication Date: 1853
Old folks at home : Ethiopian melody / as sung by Christy’s Minstrels by Foster, Stephen
Call Number: M1622.F67 O55 1851e
Publication Date: 1851
Old Josey : song and chorus by Wurzel
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 46, no. 10
Old Uncle Ned by Stephen Foster
Call Number: M1621.F677 U52 1848r
Publication Date: 1848
Ole Pee Dee : as performed by the Virginia Serenaders by J. P. Carter.
Call Number: M1621.C378 O5 1844
Publication Date: 1844
Poor old slave by G.W.H. Griffin
Call Number: M1622.G74 P66 1851
Publication Date: 1851
Ring de banjo by S.C. Foster
Call Number: M1622.F67 R56 1851
Publication Date: 1851
Rosa Lee, or, Don’t be foolish Joe
Call Number: M1622 .R665 1847
Publication Date: 1847
Sing the old song once more : minstrel song and chorus by John H. Rohdé
Call Number: M1622.R63 S56 1892
Publication Date: 1892
Stop dat knocking : a duett sung by one in imitation of two rival niggers Gumbo & Sambo by A.F. Winnemore
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 13, no. 25
Sweet Evelina by Mrs. Parkhurst
Call Number: M1622 .S98 1863
Publication Date: 1863
Sweet Mississippi by J.H. Kavanagh.
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 22, no. 27
Sweet Nelly Brown / words and music composed for the piano and cordially inscribed to his friend Nelson Kneass of the New Orleans Serenaders by John P. Ordway
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 26, no. 39
Swett [sic] Lilla Brown : Ethiopian ballad by Charlie C. Converse
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 26, no. 42
The Bee-gum.
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 31, no. 38
The Cotton field melodies.
Call Number: M1628 .C688 1863
Publication Date: 1863
The Gal with the blue dress on
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 13, no. 35
The Georgian slave by S. Glover
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 24, no. 71
The gum tree canoe by S.S. Steele
Call Number: M1621.W56 G85 1847
Publication Date: 1847
The old pine tree : a favorite Ethiopian song by Chas. White
Call Number: M1621.W54 O42 1849
Publication Date: 1849
The Rose of Alabama by S.S. Steele
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 13, no. 33
The Virginia rose bud, or, I had a rose bud in my garden growing : a favorite Ethiopian song & chorus by F.H. Kavanaugh
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 44, no. 30
The voices that are gone by Foster, Stephen
Call Number: M1630.2.F67 V65 1865
Publication Date: 1865
They worked me all the day by L.V.C
Call Number: M1 .A15 vol. 32, no. 14
Tilda Horn
Call Number: M1622 .T565 1852
Publication Date: 1852
Trabling back to Georgia by Arthur W. French ; music by Chas. D. Blake
Christy’s Minstrels, etc Words of the songs, glees, ballads, madrigals, choruses, &c., &c., selections from which are sung every evening, Evans’s, Covent Garden; Vauxhall companion; War among the Blacks; Full report of the celebrated Chancery suit, Montag
