Please note: For educational purposes, some of the resources listed on this page contain images, music and lyrics that are offensive. In general, they are not appropriate to be viewed by young children. Discretion is advised.
Song Lists
Songwriters: Consider using these song lists to identify a song that you would like to research, analyze and then write a new non-derivative alternative.
Songs With a Questionable Past, a Google doc compiled by Lauren McDougle (permission granted by the author)
A List of Problematic Songs and Resources, a Google doc compiled by Kelsey Gamza (permission granted by the author)
List of Blackface Minstrel Songs, Wikipedia
Articles and Other Resources
Listed in no particular order.
University of South Florida Libraries
History of Minstrelsy, from “Jump Jim Crow” to “The Jazz Singer”
New York Times podcast
Episode 3: The Birth of American Music
Ferris State University, Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia
Kennedi Johnson (permission granted by the author)
Tracing the Origins of Blackface Minstrelsy in Children's Folk Music
Jack Dappa Blues Podcast, Apr 2, 2019
Dom Flemons - Understanding Blackface, Minstrelsy and Early Black Entertainment
Video interview, the music and history of minstrelsy
Live with Carnegie Hall: Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi
19 minute segment of a PBS documentary, “Vaudeville” (2012)
Medium article, by Dr. Katya Ermolaeva
The White Fear of Taking Racist Songs Out of Music Education, by Martin Urbach
You Might Be Left With Silence When You’re Done
Mother Jones, by Michael Mechanic
The Music I Love is a Racial Minefield
African American Film History - TCM Original Production: Documentary
WBUR article by Alastair Moock.
Why I'd Rather Live Woody Guthrie's Words Than Sing Them
The “Ice Cream Truck Song” or “Turkey in the Straw”
History of the Ice Cream Truck Song, NPR article by Theodore R. Johnson III
Good Humor teams up with RZA to write a new Ice Cream Truck jingle.