Blackface Minstrelsy Resources: Handbills, programs and posters
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 page contains references to blackface minstrelsy, a theatrical genre that involved demeaning caricatures of Black people rooted in racism and white supremacy.
Handbills, programs and posters
Annual concert : Saturday, November 27th, 1937 at 7.30 P.M. in Osborne Hall, Eastfield Road, Dagenham by Heathaway Serenaders
Call Number: ML42.L64 H42 1937
Publication Date: 1937
Billy Birch's San Francisco Minstrels! Billy Birch and Harry Kennedy Proprietors. Programme for This Evening! New York: Richardson & Foos, Print., [1884]. by San Francisco Minstrels
Call Number: uncatalogued
Publication Date: 1884
By command of the queen the royal and original Christy’s Minstrels / Messrs. Wilson & Montague, proprietors. by Christy's Minstrels
Call Number: ML42.A23 C57 1868
Publication Date: 1868
Coming Again! The People's Favorite! That Comical Brown. William B. Brown respectfully announces to his many friends and the public generally, that he will soon appear in this place with an attractive program, comprising the latest, most popular and laugh by Comical Brown
Call Number: uncataogued
Publication Date: 1872
Complimentary benefit to J.P. Ordway! : on which occasion Ordway’s Æolians and J.B. Donniker will appear.
Call Number: ML45 .O72 1855d
Publication Date: 1855
Concert : the Osborn Family.
Call Number: ML45 .O82
Concert by the Alleghanians.
Call Number: ML45 .A34 1850
Publication Date: 1850
Concert by the Marvin Family.
Call Number: ML45 .M37
Continued success of Murphy, West and Peel’s Campbell Minstrels.
Call Number: ML45 .C35 1854
Publication Date: 1854
Engagement of Horn, Wells & Briggs’ celebrated troupe of Ethiopian Serenaders! : in conjunction with Hannington’s celebrated moving dioramas, and wonderful Italian fantoccini, or life-like mechanical figures : on Monday evening, July 14th, 1851.
Call Number: ML45 .E83 1851
Publication Date: 1851
Entertainment at Morley’s Hall : on Thursday and Friday evenings, Sept. 27th and 28th, 1866 : programme.
Call Number: ML42 .M67 1866
Publication Date: 1866
Farewell concert of Pike’s Star Troupe : programme for this evening.
Call Number: ML42 .P54 1850
Publication Date: 1850
Fifth night of the unique southern troupe of Sable Harmonist’s.
Call Number: ML45 .S22 1848
Publication Date: 1848
For twelve nights only commencing Monday, Dec. 10, 1855 the principal members of the original and well-known Christy’s Minstrels.
Call Number: ML45 .C57 1855
Publication Date: 1855
Frank Rivers’ Melodeon Troupe! : from the Howard Athenæum, Boston.
Call Number: ML45 .F72 1861b
Publication Date: 1861
Freeberthyser’s Sable Harmonists.
Call Number: ML45 .S32 1852
Publication Date: 1852
Friday evening, Dec’r 9, 1864 : Kelly & Leon’s Minstrels!
Call Number: ML45 .K44 1864b
Publication Date: 1864
Grand classic, comic, costume concert and Ethiopian parlor entertainment by Pike’s [Star] Troupe!
Call Number: ML45 .P54 1855
Publication Date: 1855
Hooley’s Opera House : Monday, Feb. 21, every evening, and Wednesday & Saturday matinees : the famous California Minstrels.
Call Number: ML42.C54 C34 1876
Publication Date: 1876
Kelly and Leon’s Minstrels : Monday evening, Dec. 12th, and every evening during the week : new acts, new songs and new dances.
Call Number: ML45 .K44 1864c
Publication Date: 1864
Kelly and Leon’s Minstrels : Monday evening, Dec. 5th, and every evening during the week.
Call Number: ML45 .K44 1864
Publication Date: 1864
Last week of the prominent members of the celebrated original Christy Minstrels : Earl H. Pierce, J.B. Donniker, T. Christian and Lewis Mairs, with the entire company of Ordway’s Æolians : on Monday evening, April 2d, 1855.
Call Number: ML45 .O72 1855
Publication Date: 1855
Melodeon : tenth night : on Saturday, June 16th, 1849, and every evening during the week : Dumbolton’s celebrated Ethiopian Serenaders.
Call Number: ML45 .E83 1849
Publication Date: 1849
Messrs. H.J. Mickley and J. Thompson : who have appeared in the principal theatres, museums, &c., in the United States, respectfully announce to the citizens of this place, and vicinity, that they will give one of their most entertaining concerts : consis
Call Number: ML45 .M52 1850
Publication Date: 1850
Morris Bros., Pell & Trowbridge’s minstrels! and bell ringers : programme for this evening.
Call Number: ML42 .M67 1850
Publication Date: 1850
Mr. Frederick Burgess, manager of the original Christy Minstrels (Messrs. Moore and Crocker, proprietors) has the honor to announce to his friends and the public generally, that his third annual benefit will take place on Monday afternoon and Monday eveni
Call Number: ML45 .B87 1867
Publication Date: 1867
Murphy, West and Peel’s original Campbell’s Minstrels.
Call Number: ML45 .C35 1854b
Publication Date: 1854
Music and mirth at the Horticultural Hall, School St. by the original Harmoneons! who will appear as Whites and Blacks in a grand vocal, sentimental, instrumental, Ethiopic and operatic soiree, this Friday evening, Nov. 16th.
Never away from the St. James’s Hall, Piccadilly : the only original Christy Minstrels / Messrs. Moore & Crocker, proprietors ; manager Frederick Burgess.
Call Number: ML42.L64 C57 1869
Publication Date: 1869
Nineteenth season of the world-famous Bryant’s Minstrels : the excelsior troupe : Wednesday ev’ng, Dec. 30, 1874.
Call Number: ML45 .B72 1874
Publication Date: 1874
On Thursday evening, June 14th, 1855, and every evening during the week, Ordway’s Æolians! will appear, also John B. Donniker of the original Christy Minstrels, with a great variety of new Ethiopian melodies, dances, burlesques and refrains.
Call Number: ML45 .O72 1855c
Publication Date: 1855
Pike’s Ethiopian Minstrels : programme.
Call Number: ML42 .P53 1850
Publication Date: 1850
Programme no. 2 and words of songs of the Bohee Brothers and their celebrated operatic minstrels.
Call Number: ML42.L64 B63 1860
Publication Date: 1860
Programme of the celebrated and original Christy’s Minstrels.
Call Number: ML42.L64 C57 1860
Publication Date: 1860
Programme to the concert of the Belfast "Harmonians," at Peirces’ Hall on Tuesday evening, March 16, 1858.
Call Number: ML42.B44 B44 1858
Publication Date: 1858
Re-engaged : the celebrated performers J.B. Donniker & T. Christian, of the original Christy Minstrels! : to appear permanently with Ordway’s Æolians commencing on Monday evening, May 14th, 1855.
Call Number: ML45 .O72 1855b
Publication Date: 1855
Rumsey’s Minstrels : programme.
Call Number: ML42 .R85 1863
Publication Date: 1863
Second concert by request, at Davis Hall, Plymouth, Thursday evening, Feb. 23 : grand comic, classic, and Ethiopian costume concert : Pike’s Star Troupe.
Call Number: ML45 .P54 1850
Publication Date: 1850
Second night of Ordway’s Æolian Vocalists!
Call Number: ML45 .O72 1851
Publication Date: 1851
Second week of the engagement of the celebrated opera troupe of New Orleans Serenaders!
St. James’s Hall, Piccadilly : Moore & Burgess : programme.
Call Number: ML42.L64 M66 1887
Publication Date: 1887
St. James’s Hall, Piccadilly : Moore & Burgess Minstrels : programme.
Call Number: ML42.L64 M66 1878
Publication Date: 1878
The Bakers’ programme.
Call Number: ML45 .M37
The Bakers’ third and last concert : this evening, Thursday, April 12.
Call Number: ML45 .B31 1840
Publication Date: 1840
The Celebrated and original Buckley’s Serenaders, Brass Band and Burlesque Opera Troupe!
Call Number: ML45 .B82 1873
Publication Date: 1873
The celebrated Christy’s Minstrels! : songs, duets, glees, and refined Negro music, vocal and instrumental.
Call Number: ML45 .C57 1855b
Publication Date: 1855
The Celebrated original Christy’s Minstrels.
Call Number: ML45 .C57 1866
Publication Date: 1866
The Heathway Serenaders (Dagenham banjo and accordion club)
Call Number: ML45 .H42 1930
Publication Date: 1930
The Heathway Serenaders (Dagenham banjo, accordion, mandolin & guitar club) annual concert in Osborne Hall, Eastfield Road, Dagenham : Sat., Nov. 26th at 7.30 P.M.
Call Number: ML45 .H42 1938
The Misses Tomer respectfully announce one of their highly popular entertainments on the above evening at Washington Hall, assisted by Messrs. Foster and Ballard, of the Pittsburgh Quartet.
Call Number: ML45 .T65 1850
Publication Date: 1850
The St. James Christy Minstrels’ Christmas annual / the illustrations by Alfred Crowquill ; engraved by Mr. James Lee.
Call Number: ML54.6 .S355 1868
Publication Date: 1868
The St. James Hall Christy’s Minstrels’ : seventy-five songs with choruses, with symphonies and accompaniments : for the pianoforte.
Call Number: M1619.S8 C49 1850
Publication Date: 1850
The Stephen C. Foster Serenaders, assisted by the entire Columbia Orchestra : an amateur minstrel and musical performance for the benefit of the Young Women’s Boarding Home of Allegheny City.
Call Number: ML42.P57 S72 1876
Publication Date: 1876
Thirty-first year of the Moore and Burgess minstrels : in one continuous season.
Call Number: ML42.L64 M66 1896
Publication Date: 1896
Variety night : fourth grand concert : West & Peel’s original Campbell Minstrels.
Call Number: ML45 .C35 1856
Publication Date: 1856
Vocal concert : Mr. Rees & daughter, of Chenango County, the celebrated natural vocalists, will give a concert of vocal music in this place, this evening.
Call Number: ML45 .M37
Vocal concert : the American Seranaders [i.e. Serenaders], or, the Baker Family, John C., Sophia M., George E. and Henry F. Baker, respectfully inform the inhabitants of Concord that they will give a musical entertainment, at the Universalist Church, on T
Call Number: ML45 .B31
Vocal concert : the American Seranaders [i.e. Serenaders], or, the Baker Family, John C., Sophia M., George E. and Henry F. Baker, respectfully inform the inhabitants of Concord that they will give a musical entertainment, at the Universalist Church, on T
Call Number: ML45 .B31
Haverly's Genuine Colored Minstrels; Alex Hunter; the Canebrake Spectres; etc November 15, 1884
Call Number: Curtis Collection
Publication Date: 1884
Carncross' Minstrels; Henry Moses' Shadboat Pinafore!; etc, April 28, 1879
Call Number: Curtis Collection
Publication Date: 1879
Carncross & Dixey's Minstrels!; Stage Struck!; etc, April 16, 1875
Call Number: Curtis Collection
Publication Date: 1875
Carncross' Minstrels in Life Behind the Scenes or, the Black Lily's Debut; Cogill Brothers; Fred Dart; etc, May 14, 1882
Call Number: Curtis Collection
Publication Date: 1882
Kernell & Thatchers Minstrels!; Rip Van Winkle or, The Sleep of Twenty Years with Billy DeVere; etc
Call Number: Curtis Collection
Bryant's Minstrels in Soiree d'Ethiope! and Dark Deeds in Dixey!; Walters and Morton; etc., June 22, 1875
Call Number: Curtis Collection
Publication Date: 1875
Haverly's Mastodon Minstrels performing The Old Kentucky Home! and Her Majesty's Opera!, October 9, 1882
Call Number: Curtis Collection
Publication Date: 1882
Prof. E.M. Worth lecture; Hick's and Sawyer's Consolidated Colored Minstrels, September 13, 1886
Call Number: Curtis Collection
Publication Date: 1886
The Grand Conservatory Female Serenaders!; The Great Classical Living Statue Troupe; Live Indian!; etc, January 7, 1876
