I've never been entirely convinced by the theory of minstrel influence, but while the "disguise" argument is regularly put forward (including by me) I've never been sure whether there was actual evidence or whether it was just received wisdom. So much of the historical information appears to come from a time after the minstrel craze, and I was seeking historical records before that period.

Diane's comment about using red earth, although coming from a time after the minstrels, seems to support the disguise argument - the colour was incidental. I believe raddle (a red dye used to mark sheep) was also used, but soot or burnt cork would have been most readily and cheaply available so black was widely used.

Azizi, apologies if you took offence, but in the specific context in which I used the word I didn't really know what else to put - I didn't use it unthinkingly, but I don't think you should hide from history. So far as I am aware, that was the generic term used, from a time when sensitivities were different from today. Using asterisks is, with respect, a cop-out since everyone knows what you are referring to.

Blacking up is an effective disguise if you see someone unexpectedly, or for the first time. But when it is someone who regularly blacks up as a dancer or mummer, and you are used to seeing them like that, it doesn't really work, in my experience. Morris was a regular seasonal event, involving only a small group of individuals (sometimes limited to particular families), and I think everyone in the community would have known who they really were.

I feel that blacking up (or whiting up for that matter) is more to do with taking on a different persona rather than trying to hide the person's identity (although that's probably part of it, especially in the more aggressive begging customs such as the ploughboys on Plough Monday). I used to be a Cotswold dancer so I didn't black up myself, but I know that just putting on the kit makes you feel different - it immediately sets you apart.