Black Minstrel Broadside Song Sheet, c. 1864

Black HistoryBlack Americana & Black Minstrel Broadside Song Sheet

c. 1864 Civil War Era, Hand-Colored, Illustrated Broadside Song Sheet titled "Kingdom Coming" and published by Charles Magnus, Choice Extremely Fine.
This beautiful, Song Sheet Broadside measures approx. 5" x 8" and features a fantastic, hand colored image at the top of a Black Minstrel Banjo Player on Stage. Text beneath the title reads "Copied by Permission of Root & Cady, Music Publishers... As Sung by Dan Bryant.". This Black Americana composition begins, "Say, darkeys, hab you seen de massa, Wid de muffstash on his face.." and continues in deep, Southern Negro dialect. It is a ribald song of joy that celebrates the coming of the Union Army and the day when "de massa" "run away". This song is a piece of social commentary that, despite its racist dialect, aptly summarized the black man's joy in the midst of the war's upheaval as the Union forces took control of Southern territory. This beautiful hand-colored Song Sheet is a very rare and beautiful example of the very best of Charles Magnus' work. It is in excellent condition, clean and crisp, with the colors are deep and bright and vibrant

Dan Bryant was the leader of the "Bryant Minstrels" who were a blackface minstrel troupe that performed in the mid-19th century, primarily in New York City. The troupe was led by the 3 O'Neill brothers, who had performed previously with different troupes. They took on the name Bryant: Dan Bryant on banjo, Jerry Bryant on tambourine and bones, and Neil Bryant on accordion and flutina. Another five members rounded out the original roster. All of the minstrels danced and acted in comedy segments, which were often improvised. In 1858 the preeminent American black-face minstrel performer and song writer Dan Emmett joined the Bryant Minstrels and from 1858 to 1866 Emmett was the troupe's primary songwriter for what would prove the most prolific period of his career. He also performed on the fiddle, banjo, drum, fife, and vocals. The song "Dixie", usually attributed to him, was first performed on stage by the Bryants during an 1859 concert.