This week we reviewed “Where Dead Voices Gather.” To preface the discussion of the minstrel show, we stated that the act of thinking is the act of placing things in categories. This comes into play because we place both people and music into categories. Specifically, racial categories. There is an expectation and stereotype based upon what white and african american people listen to. The Minstrel Show began to blur those lines throughout the 20s and 30s. Nick Tosches analyzes the Minstrel Man throughout his book, “Where Dead Voices Gather.” Men would dress up in blackface and use a “trick voice” to perform in shows and sing songs, all the while portraying themselves as African American men. Minstrel shows displayed African Americans as dim-witted, lazy, happy-go-lucky people throughout the post civil war era. It was heavily criticized by racial injustice groups for portraying slaves as “happy” people. I believe the minstrel show began to blur the lines between “racially appropriate” music. White rappers or blues musicians thrive on performing and working with music that used to be solely for African Americans. Plenty of white people who do not like African americans themselves, love these types of music. They haven’t even realized that these white musicians are imitating African Americans. The minstrel show began as a parody to pass judgment and make light of the situation that African Americans were in throughout the 20s and 30s, but served a much more important purpose.