Darkology: Blackface and the American Way of Entertainment

Darkology offers a groundbreaking, decades-in-the-making history of blackface in America, revealing how minstrelsy shaped culture, politics, and race for nearly two centuries. Princeton historian Rhae Lynn Barnes draws on extensive research – including photographs, scripts, and oral histories – to expose blackface’s pervasive influence from pre–Civil War theater to schools, military bases, and politics well into the 20th century. This landmark work uncovers the enduring legacy of racial caricature in American life and challenges readers to confront the hidden forces that shaped inequality and injustice.