Chicago: T. Dennison and Company (c. 1922). One of numerous publications by Denison in their 'Blackface' series. Minstrel shows were a form of entertainment in which performers portrayed Black individuals in a stereotypical manner, such as dim-witted, lazy, buffoonish, superstitious, and "happy-go-lucky". Although professional shows were on the decline by the time this was published, the number of amateur show books peaked in the 1920s and 1930s; they were written to enable amateurs to put on a professional seeming and popular show - either in blackface, whiteface or a combination. The "first part" of these 3 part shows consisted of the entire troupe dancing on stage and exchanging wisecracks and singing songs. The professional minstrel shows were aimed at mostly a working class audience, but amateur shows were primarily middle class (including on college campuses). Professor Susan Smulyan calls them "a particularly shameful form of minstrelsy Ð that form an important link in American history by connecting the 19th century professional minstrel shows with the late 20th century use of racist stereotypes in various entertainment formats." 32 pp.