Minstrelsy

The Crisis of 1850 resulted in widespread anti African-American sentiment especially in the South and reinforced the patterns of repression of slaves in the southern region. With an increase in popular culture and high culture many of these sentiments found expression in artistic movements. One of the most dominant outlets of anti-Black sentiment was the practice of Minstrelsy, a form of play in which white men would mimic Southern slaves in blackface.
Our history book states that this form of acting would serve to "simultaneously ridicule and pay homage to the creativity of African Americans." While I can definitely see the part that ridicules African Americans, I have a hard time understanding how this practice would honor African American culture in any form.
When you look at the practice of minstrelsy, you can see how it was outright racist. It was a crude form of parody where whites would exaggerate African American features by giving the impression of big eyes and big lips. The part of big lips would be especially emphasized by not painting a certain part around the lips so that there would be a big white frame, drawing even more emphasis to the mouth.
Minstrelsy created many stereotypes of African American culture and served to reinforce white superiority. In these performances, they also criticized anti-slavery movements and civil rights movements. While early minstrelsy shows allowed blacks to perform, they were later prohibited to do so.
Even though minstrelsy included certain parts of African American culture such as traditional music, I do not agree with the textbook in that it can be "a homage to African American creativity." It was solely used by Whites as a form of entertainment that would ridicule and stereotype African Americans in a crude and racist way.

Reference: American Passages p.364
Picture: http://www.iath.virginia.edu/utc/minstrel/gallmitxtf.html