Blackface

Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used by performers to represent a black person. The practice gained popularity during the 19th century and contributed to the proliferation of stereotypes such as the "happy-go-lucky darky on the plantation" or the "dandified coon". In 1848, blackface minstrel shows were an American national art of the time, translating formal art such as opera into popular terms for a general audience. Early in the 20th century, blackface branched off from the minstrel show and became a form in its own right, until it ended in the United States with the U.S. Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.

Blackface was an important performance tradition in the American theater for roughly 100 years beginning around 1830. It quickly became popular elsewhere, particularly so in Britain, where the tradition lasted longer than in the US, occurring on primetime TV, most famously in The Black and White Minstrel Show (which ended in 1978) and in Are You Being Served?'s Christmas specials in 1976 and finally in 1981. In both the United States and Britain, blackface was most commonly used in the minstrel performance tradition, which it both predated and outlasted. White blackface performers in the past used burnt cork and later greasepaint or shoe polish to blacken their skin and exaggerate their lips, often wearing woolly wigs, gloves, tailcoats, or ragged clothes to complete the transformation. Later, black artists also performed in blackface.

Black Face

Black Face (77°51′S 160°53′E / 77.850°S 160.883°E / -77.850; 160.883Coordinates: 77°51′S 160°53′E / 77.850°S 160.883°E / -77.850; 160.883) is the south wall of an east-west ridge in Arena Valley, 1 nautical mile (2 km) south of East Beacon, in the Quartermain Mountains, Victoria Land. The feature is a prominent landmark and is formed by a dolerite dike which rises over 300 metres (1,000 ft) above the floor of the valley. It was named by the New Zealand Antarctic Place-Names Committee from the color of the rock following geological work in the area by C.T. McElroy, G. Rose, and K.J. Whitby in 1980–81.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Geological Survey document "Black Face" (content from the Geographic Names Information System).

Black Face (band)

Black Face was an American hardcore punk band. The group featured bassist Chuck Dukowski formerly of Black Flag and SST Records, drummer Tom Dobrov, formerly of Oxbow and The Stiffs, guitarist Milo Gonzalez of Insects vs. Robots and The Chuck Dukowski Sextet, and vocalist Eugene Robinson of Oxbow and formerly Whipping Boy. They officially disbanded in February 2012

Writing for the zine The Birth of Tragedy, Robinson first met Dukowski when he interviewed Black Flag for an article he was writing. A friendship between the two formed, and later Dukowski was involved with SST Records when the label backed the 1997 American release of Oxbow's album Serenade in Red. In 2010 they discussed the possibility of forming a new band together. Dukowski suggested they revisit some songs he wrote for Black Flag before departing with the band, and Robinson agreed.

In 2011, Black Face recorded four songs that Dukowski had originally written for Black Flag's 1984 album My War: "Monster," "I Want to Kill You," "Where Will We Run" and "Leave Me Out to Rot." The songs will be released exclusively in a 7" vinyl record format. According to Robinson, the reason for avoiding a digital version was to curb file sharing and also return music releases to a physical medium complete with artwork and liner notes. Robinson said, "I'm close to living in my car. Which is to say: We spent money on this so you could spend some money on this."