Ring Shout, Wheel About: The Racial Politics of Music and Dance in North American Slavery

Contents

Contents Acknowledgments ix Introduction 1 1. The Script: “Africa was but a blank canvas for Europe’s imagination” 13 2. Casting: “They sang their home-songs, and danced, each with his free foot slapping the deck” 42 3. Onstage: “Dance you damned niggers, dance” 69 4. Backstage: “White folks do as they please, and the darkies do as they can” 99 5. Advertisement: “Dancing through the Streets and act lively” 129 6. Same Script, Different Actors: “Eb’ry time I wheel about, I jump Jim Crow” 159 Epilogue: The Show Must Go On 192 Notes 199 Index 235 ...