April F. Masten is a professor of American history at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. She is the author of Art Work: Women Artists and Democracy in Mid-Nineteenth Century New York.
Description
"Diamond and Juba is much more than a book about the forgotten subject of challenge dancing. Through assiduous research and by sensitively interpreting her sources, April F. Masten has fashioned a new and revealing account of race and class in antebellum New York City. The book is a stunning achievement and a fascinating read. Highly recommended." --Shane White, author of Prince of Darkness: The Untold Story of Jeremiah G. Hamilton, Wall Street's First Black Millionaire "The world of nineteenth century dance and minstrelsy comes alive in April J. Masten's Diamond and Juba. In it, Masten uncovers the story of two of the nineteenth century's most-important popular dancers, John Diamond, a white, Irish American; and