The idea by Gottschild that white minstrels were not just making fun of Black people, but were actually dependent on them, is one of the ideas that will continue to bounce around my mind. She talks about how the white people would try to enter into the world of black people to witness their dances and songs and then bring them on stage without any respect and proper context. The thing that caught my attention was the section on the Black minstrels who had to dress up in blackface and perform in an imitation of their own imitation. Gottschild refuses to blame the minstrels but rather asks us to understand their situation where there were no other professional avenues for them except to insert their “real black presence” whenever possible. It reminds me of the Billy Kersands quote, “If they hate me, I’m still whipping them, because I’m making them laugh.”