Jump Jim Crow

From blackwiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Jump Jim Crow initiated started another type of famous music and dramatic exhibitions in the United States that concentrated on the joke of African Americans.

Lyrics

The lyrics as most commonly quoted are:

Come, listen all you gals and boys, Ise just from Tuckyhoe;

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

CHORUS [after every verse]

Weel about and turn about and do jis so,

Eb'ry time I weel about I jump Jim Crow.

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

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

And arter I been dere awhile, I tought I push my boat;

But I tumbled in de river, and I find myself afloat.

I git upon a flat boat, I cotch de Uncle Sam;

Den I went to see de place where dey kill'd de Pakenham.

And den I go to Orleans, an, feel so full of flight;

Dey put me in de calaboose, an, keep me dere all night.

When I got out I hit a man, his name I now forgot;

But dere was noting left of him 'cept a little grease spot.

And oder day I hit a man, de man was mighty fat

I hit so hard I nockt him in to an old cockt hat.

I whipt my weight in wildcats, I eat an alligator;

I drunk de Mississippy up! O! I'm de very creature.

I sit upon a hornet's nest, I dance upon my head;

I tie a wiper round my neck an, den I go to bed.

I kneel to de buzzard, an, I bow to the crow;

An eb'ry time I weel about I jump jis so. [1]

Controversy

as it showed up in sheet music composed by Thomas Dartmouth "Daddy" Rice. Rice, a struggling "entertainer" (he did short independent dramas between play scenes) at the Park Theater in New York, happened upon a black person singing the song -- a few records say it was a limp old black slave, others say it was a ragged black stable boy. Regardless of whether the song talks about an old black man or a young black boy, this song is known that in 1828 Rice appeared on stage as "Jim Crow" -- a misrepresented, highly stereotypical black character. By 1838, the term "Jim Crow" the expression "Jim Crow" was being utilized as an aggregate racial appellation for blacks, not as offensive as nigger, but rather like coon or darkie. The fame of entertainer shows plainly helped the spread of Jim Crow as a racial slur. This utilization of the term endured for 50 years. Before the end of the nineteenth century, the words Jim Crow were less likely to be used to derisively describe blacks; were less inclined to be utilized to insultingly depict blacks; all things being equal, the expression Jim Crow was being utilized to portray laws and customs which persecuted blacks [2]

References

  1. Thomas D. Rice. Lyrics to "Jump Jim Crow." 1832.
  2. Who Was Jim Crow?. Ferris State University. Retrieved January 18 2021.