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. Pictures From History