The Madame Rentz Songster of 1880, mentioned above as containing "Every Inch a Sailor," included songs of "Madame Rentz's Female Minstrels," organized before 1870 by M. B. Leavitt. A touring company, at first they performed in blackface. It became the Rentz-Santley Novelty and Burlesque Company and at some point, blackface was dropped. New and popular songs were part of their repertoire.

From several websites on American Theatre.