British Folk Music: Where Are All The Black People?

Why are Black people so rarely seen in British Folk Music, apart from the apparent & questionable guise of the Blackface traditions still practiced today? Musician and researcher, Marie Bashiru, looks into the question of why Black people are so rarely seen in British Folk Music, and their absence in the English body of folk song, compared to their counterparts in the US. It revisits and shines a lens on the phenomenon era of Blackface Minstrelsy in Britain, engaging current Black British folk music practitioners in conversation on belonging, England's colonial past, & folk history.

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  • amandanicolemayo
    A Must-Listen
    “British Folk Music: Where are all the Black People” is an absolutely vital contribution to the ethnomusicology landscape. Meticulously researched and immaculately produced and hosted by singer-songwriter and researcher Marie Bashiru, the podcast offers an entirely new historical exploration of the unexplained absence of Black people within English folk music. Centuries of history are covered - from Black British history as a whole to the impact and legacy of Blackface Minstrelsy in Britain to the experience of Black British folk musicians today. I hope that this topic of study continues to grow and makes its way into music history education not only in the UK, but worldwide. Highly highly recommend.
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