Jim Crow

Jump Jim Crow is a song and dance from 1828 done in blackface by white comedian Thomas Dartmouth (T.D.) "Daddy" Rice. The first song sheet edition appeared in the early 1830's, published by E. Riley. The number was supposedly inspired by the song and dance of a crippled African American in Cincinnati called Jim Cuff or Jim Crow. The song became a great 19th century hit and Rice performed all over the country as Daddy Jim Crow. http://www. ... http://www. ... 1828 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... This reproduction of a 1900 minstrel show poster, originally published by the Strobridge Litho Co. ... Thomas Dartmouth (T.D.) Daddy Rice (May, 1808 - September 16, 1860), was a comedian and the creator of the blackface form of comedy of the 19th century and early 20th century. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Jump Jim Crow was a key initial step in a tradition of popular music in the United States that was based on the mockery of African Americans. A couple of decades would see the mockery genre explode in popularity with the rise of the minstrel show. It was also the initial step in the still extant tradition in popular music of incorporating African American styles and subject matter. Popular music is music belonging to any of a number of musical styles that are accessible to the general public and are disseminated by one or more of the mass media. ... Detail from cover of The Celebrated Negro Melodies, as Sung by the Virginia Minstrels, 1843 The minstrel show, or minstrelsy, was an American entertainment consisting of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music, performed by white people in blackface or, especially after the American Civil War, African Americans in blackface. ...

The tune became very well known not only in the United States but internationally; in 1841 the USA ambassador to Central America, John Lloyd Stephens, wrote that upon his arrival in Merida, Yucatan the local brass band played "Jump Jim Crow" under the mistaken impression that it was the USA's national anthem. 1841 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Capital Guatemala City; in 1834 moved to San Salvador Created 1823 Dissolved 1840 Demonym Centroamerican The United Provinces of Central America (UPCA) was a country that existed in Central America from July 1823 to approximately 1840. ... John Lloyd Stephens in 1839 John Lloyd Stephens (November 28, 1805–October 13, 1852) was an American explorer, writer, and diplomat. ... Mérida is the capital city of the state of Yucatán, Mexico. ...

With time Jim Crow became a term often used to refer to African Americans, and from this the laws of racial segregation became known as Jim Crow laws. The Jim Crow Laws were state and local laws enacted in the Southern and Border States of the United States and enforced between 1876 and 1965 and affected African Americans and many other races. ...

The expression to jump Jim Crow came to mean "to act like a stereotyped stage caricature of a Negro". See Uncle Tom. Uncle Tom is a pejorative for an African American who is perceived by others as behaving in a subservient manner to White American authority figures, or as seeking ingratiation with them by way of unnecessary accommodation. ...

Here are the lyrics, from the band the Bluegrass Messengers, which has the song in its repertoire:

Come, listen, all you gals and boys, I'm just from Tuckyhoe;

I'm gwine to sing a little song, My name's Jim Crow.

Chorus: Wheel about, an' turn about, an' do jis so;

Eb'ry time I wheel about, I jump Jim Crow.

I went down to de river, I didn't mean to stay,

But there I see so many gals, I couldn't get away.

I'm rorer on de fiddle, an' down in ole Virginny,

Dey say I play de skientific, like massa Pagganninny.

I cut so many munky shines, I dance de galloppade;

An' w'en I done, I res' my head, on shubble, hoe or spade.

I met Miss Dina Scrub one day, I gib her sich a buss;

An' den she turn an' slap my face, an' make a mighty fuss.

De udder gals dey 'gin to fight, I tel'd dem wait a bit;

I'd hab dem all, jis one by one, as I tourt fit.

I wip de lion ob de west, I eat de alligator;

I put more water in my mouf, den boil ten load ob 'tator.

De way dey bake de hoe cake, Virginny nebber tire;

Dey put de doe upon de foot, an' stick 'em in de fire.[1]

Or, with a more conventional English translation: Niccolò (or Nicolò) Paganini (October 27, 1782 – May 27, 1840) was an Italian violinist, violist, guitarist and composer. ... In dance, the galop, named for the fastest running gait of a horse (see gallop), a shortened version of the original term galoppade, is a lively country dance, introduced in the late 1820s to Parisian society by the duchesse de Berry and popular in Vienna, Berlin and London. ...

Come, listen, all you girls and boys, I'm just from Tuckahoe;

I'm going to sing a little song, My name's Jim Crow.

Chorus: Wheel about, and turn about, and do just so;

   Every time I wheel about, I jump Jim Crow.

I went down to the river, I didn't mean to stay,

But there I saw so many girls, I couldn't get away.

I'm roaring on the fiddle, and down in old Virginia,

They say I play the scientific, like master Pagganninny

I cut so many monkey shines, I dance the (galloppade)?;

And when I'm done, I rest my head, on shovel, hoe or spade.

I met Miss Dina Scrub one day, I give her such a buss(kiss);

And then she turn and slap my face, and make a mighty fuss.

The other gals are going to fight, I told them wait a bit;

I'd have them all, just one by one, as I thought fit.

I whip the lion of the west, I eat the alligator;

I put more water in my mouth, then boil ten loads of potatoes.

The way they bake the hoe cake(corn bread cooked on open fire on metal implement such as a hoe), Virginia never tire;

They put the dough upon the foot, and stick them in the fire.

Notes

References

• lyrics and background from the Bluegrass Messengers
• In Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, Charles Mackay reported his dismay at hearing the song in London.
• Scandalise My Name: Black Imagery in American Popular Music, by Sam Dennison (1982, New York)

Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds is a history of popular folly by Charles Mackay, first published in 1843. ... Charles Mackay (1814‑1889) was a British poet and journalist, son of a naval officer, born at Perth, and educated at the Royal Caledonian Asylum, London, and at Brussels, but spent much of his early life in France. ...

See also

• Blackface
• Racism

 He ran around in womens underware