Spectacles

The show that is different coming soon! J.W. Johnson’s Old Reliable Virginia Minstrels. . . horizontal bars contortion acts aerial acts wire walkers jugglers comedians greatest dancers that ever lived musical comedy all the way from Old Virginia. Dual-sided advertising broadside.

1719 · 62577 — Erie PA: Erie Litho & Printing Co. March 17 1923. Large double atlas folio dual-sided broadside printed on newsprint sized 9.25 x 42 in. photo & woodcut engraving illustrations recto & verso toning to paper some chipping & edgewear paper repairs to closed tears still a G- copy. First edition thus of this advertising broadside for Erickson’s “J.W. Johnson’s Old Reliable Virginia Minstrels World’s best colored show. . . “ which touts their supposed 15 year history and appear to have either been reformed from the “Alabama Minstrels†show which played throughout the West and Midwest from 1905-1914 or simply taken over some of their acts. The contortionist fire king Hi Henry Hunt who appears in this broadside regularly performed with the “Alabama Minstrels†from 1905-1913. The silver voiced tenor A.J. McFarland and Grace Arniot Royal Entertainer depicted on the broadside also appear to have been African-American rather than black face performers. The name appears to have been drawn from the 19th-Century original “Virginia Minstrels†or the “Melodious Ethiopian Band†which featured Billy Whitlokc Dick Pelham Frank Brower and Dan Emmett performing in New York’s Bowery Amphitheater in 1843 and launched the minstrelsy form of entertainment. Emmett is perhaps best remembered as the author of “Dixie†which ironically would become the Confederate States unofficial anthem. Assorted versions dating 1920-1924 with different content & sizing appear in 6 libraries Harvard DLC 3 versions Middle Tenn. State Lib. of VA; See: Dr. Karl Koenig The History & Music of the Minstrels Rue Basin Source for Historical Jazz 2024. Erie Litho & Printing Co., unknown