Barnards Troupe of Christy Minstrels, 1869. Creator: Unknown. # 3056295

3-056-295 - The London Archives (City of London)/Heritage Images

Barnards Troupe of Christy Minstrels, 1869. Illustrated advertisement, probably for a performance at the Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly, London. Minstrel shows were a racist form of entertainment popular in the USA and the UK during the 18th and 19th centuries. Performers - often white people in blackface - depicted negative stereotypes of African Americans. The success of Edwin Pearce Christy's minstrel show led to the phrase 'Christy Minstrels' coming to mean any blackface minstrel show. Barnards Troupe of Christy Minstrels was one of four companies formed at this time, each claiming to be the 'original' Christy Minstrels, because they each boasted one or two former members of the old troupe. They followed their 1869 performances at Egyptian Hall with shows at the St George's Hall, Langham Place.

Image Details

Sensitive Subject

This image has been flagged as having a sensitive subject, or the attached metadata may use a historical and dated form of words and terms no longer used or deemed appropriate, but in common and accepted usage at the time the content was created and/or catalogued. No offence is intended and it is shown here and should be viewed in it’s historical context.