Blackface poster, 1900.

The person in the picture is Billy V. Van, a performer from the early 1900's. He was a progressive Blackface performer in minstrel, vaudeville, burlesque, and stage performances. This poster was used to promote the Wm. H. West's Big Minstrel Jubilee in Alabama in 1900. The purpose of the poster was to promote the show to the public and other performers, and encourage others to attend.

As one can see in this poster, the man is portrayed in his original look on the left, and in Blackface on the right. One the left, he is portrayed to look sophisticated and confident, with his hair sleeked back and dressed in formal attire, while his head is held high. On the right, the image is changed to a different portrayal. He looks disheveled, with his hair uncombed, and he clothing is designed to look as if he is poorer due to the lower style of collar, and the lack of decoration on his clothing, where the guy on the right has a slight hint of ruffle, meaning he is richer and can afford better material. He features are over exaggerated, and his expression is one of bewilderment, making him appear to be uneducated.

This is a typical representation of Blackface during the time, basing the Black image off the slaves that worked on the plantations, who were uneducated and did not have the opportunity to achieve wealth the way the White members of society would have. It is also a way that they made Black members seem to be of a lesser people, making them appear to be more uneducated or less sophisticated than some may have been, creating a general belief for the audience on the race as a whole.

Photo credit: http://library.artstor.org/library/iv2.html?parent=true#