In January 1937, the Lykens Valley Vocational School at Berrysburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, featured a black-face program by a group known as the Five Nit Wits, who were a staple on a Reading radio station, WEEU. The program was advertised as a “big radio attraction” and a benefit for the “school fund.”
The article pictured above is from the Lykens Standard of January 22, 1937. A similar article appeared in the Harrisburg Telegraph of the same date.
The text of the Lykens Standard article:
FIVE RADIO NIT WITS TO APPEAR AT BERRYSBURG
The Five Nit Wits, who broadcast over Station WEEU, Reading, every Tuesday and Thursday at 3:00 P.M. will appear at the Lykens Valley Vocational High School auditorium on Saturday evening, January 23rd, at 8:00 P.M.
The entertainers consist of the following: Professor Schnitzel, Earl Shappell, Carl Henke, pianist, and Smokey and Henry, black-face comedians.
Everyone is cordially invited to attend this big radio attraction.
The text of the Harrisburg Telegraph article:
BENEFIT RADIO SHOW AT BERRYSBURG H. S.
Berrysburg, January 22 [1937] — A benefit show will be presented tomorrow night in the Lykens Valley Joint Vocational High School building by the Five Nit-Wits, a radio act heard twice a week over WEEU, Reading.
The entertainers include: Professor Schnitzel, Earl Shappell, Carl Henke, pianist, and Smoky and Henry, black-face comedians. Proceeds of the show are to be used for the school fund.
Research is on-going into the Five Nit Wits, including discovery of their actual names.
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For related articles on this blog, see Black-Face.
News articles were obtained from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.