“Liza Jane” Meets the Masses

This chapter begins with an overview of nineteenth century burnt cork (or “blackface”) minstrelsy, especially after it switched to a three-part format. From there, the narrative explores how “Liza Jane” songs first began to appear in post-war (i.e., postbellum) minstrel shows, notably the first and third parts. Many of the troupes and performers were well-known, thereby transporting “Liza Jane” songs even deeper into the nation’s consciousness. Lyrics from the first known songster publication—“Eliza Jane,” 1866, by bandleader Billy Emerson—are presented and analyzed. Notably, there is an examination of how minstrel troupes may have absorbed these songs through contact with enslaved people, watermen, and soldiers, among other groups. Cultural insights from musicologist Eileen Southern and poet Amiri Baraka may help to describe the mechanisms behind the “Liza Jane” tunes flourishing in this inherently racist form of popular culture.