From the 1850s through the 1870s, blackface minstrelsy was arguably the most popular performance form in the United States. By the beginning of the twentieth century, vaudeville had eclipsed it. By the early 1900s, minstrelsy usually appeared as one element in larger vaudeville shows. American animation got its start on the vaudeville stage as well. Follow this path to learn how blackface minstrelsy and animation met on the vaudeville stage, and how important vaudeville was to early animation.

Begin this path: Vaudeville

1. From Blackface to Burlesque
2. From Burlesque to Vaudeville
3. Animation on the Stage
4. Minstrels in Vaudeville
5. Minstrels and Vaudevillians in Radio
6. Vaudeville and the Movies

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