The aftermath of the Civil War meant newly freed slaves seeking a new identity, to break stereotypes of how they were viewed, and forming a new life for themselves. After all, former slaves weren’t just meant to be slaves. Many of these newly freed slaves sought the entertainment route, where they outsmarted the white performers and their “blackface” Minstrel Shows, by taking the spotlight away from these shows and turning it onto themselves. Black performers such as, Brooke and Clayton’s Georgia Minstrels were the first successful black troupe that took former Minstrel Shows and made it a show that tells stories of former slaves, using their natural talents to express themselves freely, instead of using tactics to mock like the whites did in these performances. Fast forward to the 1870s, which is when black performers were recognized among many. Though these performers were not getting paid enough to make ends meet, they were getting paid far more than before. Black performers began to showcase their singing skills, acting skills, and dancing skills with stories from their past and overcoming this torment. Even though the first Minstrel Shows were made to belittle black people on the plantation, this opened doors for black performers in what we call, “Show Business.”