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 (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."

Rachel Bluwstein

Rachel Bluwstein Sela (September 20 (Julian calendar), 1890 – April 16, 1931) was a Hebrew-language poet who immigrated to Palestine in 1909. She is known by her first name, Rachel, (Hebrew: רחל‎) or as Rachel the Poetess (Hebrew: רחל המשוררת‎).

Biography

Rachel was born in Saratov in Imperial Russia on September 20, 1890, the eleventh daughter of Isser-Leib and Sophia Bluwstein, and granddaughter of the rabbi of the Jewish community in Kiev. During her childhood, her family moved to Poltava, Ukraine, where she attended a Russian-speaking Jewish school and, later, a secular high school. She began writing poetry at the age of 15. When she was 17, she moved to Kiev and began studying painting.

At the age of 19, Rachel visited Palestine with her sister en route to Italy, where they were planning to study art and philosophy. They decided to stay on as Zionist pioneers, learning Hebrew by listening to children’s chatter in kindergartens. They settled in Rehovot and worked in the orchards. Later, Rachel moved to Kvutzat Kinneret on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, where she studied and worked in a women's agricultural school. At Kinneret, she met Zionist leader A. D. Gordon who was to be a great influence on her life, and to whom she dedicated her first Hebrew poem. During this time, she also met and had a romantic relationship with Zalman Rubashov—the object of many of her love poems —who later became known as Zalman Shazar and was the third president of Israel.

Rachel (singer)

Rachel, born in Cavaillon, Vaucluse, is a French singer best known in Europe for representing France in the Eurovision Song Contest 1964.

Biography

She entered a singing competition organised by Mireille Hartuch who had invited Rachel to her 'Petit Conservatoire'.

She went on to sign a contract with the Barclay Records label, and released her first (45 rmp) recording entitled Les Amants Blessés in 1963.

In 1964, she represented France in the Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen with her entry called "Le Chant de Mallory", which was her greatest hit. She did not win, but scored 14 points and finished in fourth place.

Discography

45 rpm

References

Rachel (given name)

Rachel (Hebrew: רָחֵל, Standard Raḥel Tiberian Rāḫēl, Rāḥēl‎), Arabic: راحیل, Rāḥīl‎); also spelled Rachael, meaning "ewe") is a feminine given name. The name ranks in the top hundred most popular names for girls in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia as well as in Israel. According to United States Social Security card applications in 2005, the name Rachel ranked 38th out of the top 100 names chosen by parents for their baby girls. Statistics for England and Wales from the Office for National Statistics show a decline in popularity of the name: it was the 9th most popular name given to baby girls in 1984, but only 235th in 2014.

Variants