Yellowstone Kit, The Medicine Show, and the Modern World
Bob Blaskiewicz
October 9, 2022
On Sunday, October 9th, we were treated to an examination of the life of “Yellowstone Kit”, a showman who managed to travel to and become conspicuous in just about every state in the union. Named George Edwin Grant at his birth in 1850, Grant took the name of Yellowstone Kit as he created one of the most impressive medicine shows, mixing entertainment with the sales of tonics, such as “Kickapoo Indian Sagwa.”
Kit claimed that from an early age, he had been given great healing power. The ever-present medicine shows. Were elaborate spectacles, with often scores of performers, a variety of novel acts to attract and entertain the crowds and keep them buying his healing potions. He even brought in electric lighting and often ended shows with fireworks and engaged performers from various native tribes (although at least two of the “Indians” were natives of Ireland) and Japan.
His shows became exceedingly popular with Blacks. Thousands gathered every night to hear him. They referred to him as the “Second Messiah” and felt that he could cure any ill. Things did not always go well for him when he meddled in local politics. Kit was a “wet”, i.e., an anti-prohibitionist; Atlanta had banned the sale of alcohol two years before, and he was vocal in his opposition to that statute. In many cities on his performing route, he addressed local issues that he disagreed with, and laws introduced to curb the ever-present medicine shows. Blacks often congregated around his tents — the crowd often swelled until the number ran into the thousands.
Boy, did Bob Blaskiewicz do his homework! The discussion of Yosemite Kit is more than just the story of an interesting character in American history. Listening and seeing Blaskiewicz’s presentation is disturbing, haunting, in that we see in Kit the prototype of many of the politicians we have experienced in our most recent elections, especially those to the far to the right of center and those with bright orange complexions. KIt wore an ostentatious three-foot long watch chain and stayed in the most luxurious hotels – in Atlanta, it was the presidential suite of the best hotel. Nothing succeeds like success. Sound like someone you didn’t vote for?
In response to one very large gathering , one newspaperman remarked, “the scenes of yesterday must not be repeated. There’s a great danger in the gathering of an irresponsible class whose passions can be too easily roused.” – – Sound like January 6th?