Minstrel shows 1928, 1929

Photograph

Saugatuck Douglas Historical Society

file935.jpg 790KB

Print located in box 31, envelope 89-1-68

Name/Title

Minstrel shows 1928, 1929

Entry/Object ID

1989.01.68

Description

Publicity photo of a theatrical group arrayed on a United States flag-bedecked stage. A sign on the stage identifies the performers as the Douglas Hometown Minstrels. More than half of the performer are wearing blackface makeup. Musicians are posed on the floor in front of the sage. The drum was provided by the Saugatuck High School. For context, included in this entry is a digital scan of a newspaper ad or program for "Douglas Home-Town Minstrels" a musical performance to be held April 26 and 27, 1928 at the Village Hall and presented by the Douglas Chamber of Commerce. The ad was previously cataloged at 95-51-1c. Digital scan of 1929 advertisement for another Chamber of Commerce Minstrel show Original accession number for the photograph is 89-1-68.

Photograph Details

Type of Photograph

Print, photograph

Subject Person or Organization

Prentice, Joseph Warren 1877-1961, Cobb, Jackson "Jack" Chase 1916-1983, Wiegert, Benjamin "Ben" William 1877-1946, Mead, Irving Joseph 1882-1963, Tillinghast, Clark 1872-1944, Whipple, Harold Clifford "Bud" 1897-1974, Drought, Samuel 1863-1943, Bryan, Douglass C. 1901-1977, Snay, George W. 1898-1969, Devine, William J. 1874-1955, Falconer, Daniel 1831-1897, Wicks, William Fernando "Bill" 1885-1960, Bieler, Benjamin F., Chapman, Earl 1893-1974, McDonald, Roy A. 1877-1963, Jarvis, Leroy Dillon “Roy" or "Jarvie” 1887-1949

Context

The text of an audience sing-along program is about trying to get a road to pass through town (possibly the Blue Star Highway) and that the proceeds from the performance will be used to advertise in the Douglas Chamber of Commerce "resort book." This performance may originally have been staged in 1928 and was repeated in 1929. For more information about blackface in American history, see: https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/blackface-birth-american-stereotype and https://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/news/jimcrow/coon/homepage.htm

Collection

Racism, Theater, plays, dramatic performing arts

Cataloged By

Winthers, Sally

Acquisition

Accession

1989.01

Acquisition Method

Found in Collection

Lexicon

Search Terms

minstrals

Dimensions

Height

4-1/2 in

Width

6-1/2 in

Location

031 A+B+C+D Photo Files

085 Performance & Theater Groups

Create Date

May 25, 2022

Update Date

February 14, 2026