Blackface Collection

AL JOLSON (1886-1950). American singer. In The Jazz Singer, 1927

Hadrians Wall also called the Roman Wall, Picts Wall, or Vallum Hadriani in Latin, was a defensive fortification in the Roman province of Britannia

Twenty masked and costumed musicians and dancers emerge from four monstrous heads
FLO4702936 Twenty masked and costumed musicians and dancers emerge from four monstrous heads. Dance of the Nations, part of the celebrations of the birth of Freiderich, Duke of Wurttemberg, 1616

The Quiet Street, a Sketch from a Study Window, 1856. Satirical print showing a noisy London street: a brassband
FLO4995451 The Quiet Street, a Sketch from a Study Window, 1856. Satirical print showing a noisy London street: a brassband, Masaniello's pipe organ, a hurdy gurdy, blackface musicians

French baritone Jean-Etienne Massol as Abaldos in Dom Sebastien, Acts III, IV, V, by Gaetano Donizetti
FLO4631377 French baritone Jean-Etienne Massol as Abaldos in Dom Sebastien, Acts III, IV, V, by Gaetano Donizetti, Theatre de l'Opera, 1843

French baritone Jean-Etienne Massol as Abaldos in Dom Sebastien by Gaetano Donizetti, Theatre de l'Opera, 1843
FLO4631284 French baritone Jean-Etienne Massol as Abaldos in Dom Sebastien by Gaetano Donizetti, Theatre de l'Opera, 1843

English actor Frederick Lemaitre as Fabien in Le Docteur Noir by Anicet Bourgeoise, Theatre de la Porte St
FLO4631977 English actor Frederick Lemaitre as Fabien in Le Docteur Noir by Anicet Bourgeoise, Theatre de la Porte St. Martin, 1846

Recueil des modes de la cour de France, Flautin, between circa 1678 and circa 1693. Creator: Nicolas Bonnart
Recueil des modes de la cour de France, Flautin, between circa 1678 and circa 1693

Blackface ewe, Northumberland, England, UK Date: 15-06-2012

Photograph of theatre production with blackface actors and Oliver Howard Horner, ca. 1910
On the proper right side a boy is sitting in a chair. He is wearing a suit and tie. His legs are crossed at the ankles and his hands are on his lap. There is a boy standing behind him

Two photographs of Eddie Cantor, 1927
Two photographs of the American entertainer Eddie Cantor, 1927 Date: 1927

Cartoon, E W Mackney, Ethiopian entertainer (blackface minstrel). 1880s

Frederick Lemaitre as Fabien in Le Docteur Noir, 1846
French actor Frederick Lemaitre as Fabien in Le Docteur Noir by Anicet Bourgeoise, Theatre de la Porte St. Martin, 1846. Handcoloured lithograph after an illustration by Alexandre Lacauchie

Mr Matheson Lang & Miss Margaret Halstan in Othello (b / w photo)
3643420 Mr Matheson Lang & Miss Margaret Halstan in Othello (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Mr Matheson Lang & Miss Margaret Halstan in Othello)

Miss Margaret Halstan & Mr Matheson Lang in Othello (b / w photo)
3642585 Miss Margaret Halstan & Mr Matheson Lang in Othello (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Miss Margaret Halstan & Mr Matheson Lang in Othello)

Playbill for Christys Minstrels, 1849 (engraving)
PNP248858 Playbill for Christys Minstrels, 1849 (engraving) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; Peter Newark American Pictures; American, out of copyright

Edwin Forrest in the Role of Metamora, c. 1832. Creator: Frederick Styles Agate
Edwin Forrest in the Role of Metamora, c. 1832

Mrs A. Shaw, in the new opera of "The Brides of Venice", at Drury-Lane Theatre
Mrs A. Shaw, in the new opera of " The Brides of Venice", at Drury-Lane Theatre, 1844. Opera singer Mary Shaw, in blackface, in the part of the disguised Arabian girl

Al Jolson, American singer, in the final scene from the film The Jazz Singer, 1927. Al Jolson (1886-1950) was the star of the film

HINE: MINSTRELS, 1916. Working Boys Glee Club and Minstrel Group, Fall River, Massachusetts. Photographed by Lewis Hine, 1916

Picture No. 11981431
Scottish Blackface male grazing on field Scotland, United Kingdom Date:

Picture No. 11981422
Scottish Blackface male grazing on field Scotland, United Kingdom Date:

Picture No. 11981403
Scottish Blackface male grazing on field Scotland, United Kingdom Date:

Winston Churchill in folk parade
Winston Churchill riding on a carriage in a folk or mummers parade of some sort, a custom in some English towns. Date: C.1930s

Sheep (Cheviot) on the Isle of Harris, home of the Harris Tweed. Only Cheviot and Scottish Blackface sheep may be used for Harris Tweed. (Large format sizes available)

Sheep (Scottish Blackface) on the Isle of Harris, home of the Harris Tweed. Only Cheviot
Scottish Blackface on the Isle of Harris, home of the Harris Tweed. Only Cheviot and Scottish Blackface sheep may be used for Harris Tweed. (Large format sizes available)

AL JOLSON, 1927. Shown in a scene from The Jazz Singer, 1927

WILLIAMS, BERT, 1913. A poster by B. W. Falls for Bert Williams 1913 appearance
WILLIAMS, BERT, 1913. A poster by B.W. Falls for Bert Williams 1913 appearance at the Palace Theatre on Broadway, New York City

MUSIC: BILL BAILEY, 1912. American sheet music cover for Bill Bailey, Won t You Please Come Home? c1912

Hadrians Wall also called the Roman Wall, Picts Wall, or Vallum Hadriani in Latin, was a defensive fortification in the Roman province of Britannia

Domestic Sheep, Scottish Blackface, flock, feeding on big bale silage from ring feeder, near Cow Ark, Whitewell, Clitheroe, Forest of Bowland, Lancashire, England, January

Domestic Sheep, Scottish Blackface, adult, calling, standing amongst long grass, Lammermuir Hills, Berwickshire, Scottish Borders, Scotland, August

Sheep farming, loading Scottish Blackface ewes onto livestock trailer, Grimsargh, Lancashire, England, March

The Scottish Blackface is the most common breed of domestic sheep in the United Kingdom. This tough and adaptable breed is often found in the more exposed locations

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"Exploring the Controversial Legacy of Blackface: From Al Jolson to Hadrian's Wall" Blackface, a practice deeply rooted in American history, has long been a subject of heated debate and controversy. Originating in the 19th century, it involved white performers darkening their faces with makeup to portray caricatures of African Americans on stage. One notable figure associated with blackface is Al Jolson, an influential American singer who gained fame for his role in "The Jazz Singer" (1927), often considered the first feature-length talking picture. However, blackface was not limited to entertainment alone. Surprisingly, even historical landmarks like Hadrian's Wall have connections to this contentious tradition. The Golliwoggs Bicycle Club - Surrounded by Cannibals depicted a scene where members wore blackface during their cycling adventures along this ancient Roman fortification. In Northumberland, England, UK on June 15th, 2012, an unusual sight caught attention – a blackface ewe. This rare occurrence highlighted how deeply ingrained this controversial practice had become across different cultures and regions. It also found its way into visual arts and lithographs such as "Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith in Carthage Jail" from 1851 or "Minstrels on stage" captured through silver gelatin prints in 1906. These images reflect both the popularity and normalization within society at that time. Even organizations like the Ku Klux Klan incorporated elements into their activities during the 1920s when they formed drum and bugle corps dressed in white robes but with painted faces resembling minstrel characters. As we delve further into history, photographs from around New York City circa 1898 showcase minstrels alongside bands performing on stages while Daddy Dan Rice introduced his infamous song "Jump Jim Crow" back in 1830.