"The question is did the tradition derive from minstrel shows or was the minstrel element adopted into the existing tradition due to its effect on popular culture?

Well, Michael the filmmaker seemed to admit that it was probably minstrel elements sneaking in. I was disappointed that nobody involved in the programme asked the obvious logical next question; why don't they therefore excise those minstrel elements? If they weren't part of the original tradition, it's surely no loss.