Transoceanic Blackface

Discover the profound and intricate histories of racialized performance with Transoceanic Blackface by Kellen Hoxworth. Set to be published by Northwestern University Press in 2024, this enlightening paperback spans 280 pages, providing an in-depth exploration of blackface repertoires from the mid-eighteenth to the early twentieth century across the United States and the British Empire.

Hoxworth meticulously traces the circulations of blackface in various forms of entertainment, including theatrical spectacles, popular songs, visual materials, comic operas, closet dramas, dance forms, and Shakespearean burlesques. This scholarly work not only offers a critical examination of performance history but also invites readers to reflect on the cultural implications of these artistic expressions. Ideal for students, scholars, and anyone interested in the intersections of race and performance, Transoceanic Blackface is a must-read for understanding the complexities of racial representation in the arts.