Reply #10: Minstrelsy is at least as old as dynastic Egypt

[Dogmudgeon]

European minstrelsy was dominated by Gypsies and Jews. The domination of American comedy, cinema and music by Jewish people is a hold-over from ghetto life.

Performing in blackface was something else entirely, and legends of magical creatures with black skin in pre-date the Indo-European invasion; this was Christianized in one form as Black Marias, and is commonly associated with Polish Roman Catholics. Marija Gimbutas discusses this in some depth in her work.

I doubt that the thing in Cornwalls is racist, but it's good that people in England are "civilized" enough to discuss it without blaming the performers for the slave trade or whining about being persecuted by "Political Correctness".

--p!