Blackface minstrelsy emerged in the United States in the early 19th century, becoming the country’s first uniquely American form of theatrical entertainment. Originating in the 1830s, it featured white performers darkening their skin with burnt cork or greasepaint to caricature Black people in demeaning, exaggerated ways—portraying them as lazy, foolish, hypersexual, or subhuman. These performances weren’t just crude comedy; they reinforced and normalized racist ideologies, serving as cultural justification for slavery, segregation, and systemic oppression. Minstrelsy shaped American popular culture for over a century, influencing music, theater, and film, and left a legacy that continues to echo in racial stereotypes.