BBC Newsbeat<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Pre-sale sign-up done. Phone ready. Hoping and praying that you’ll bag tickets for Beyonc\u00e9’s upcoming Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin’ Circuit Tour.<\/p>\n All of that doesn’t leave you much time to think about the meaning behind the name. <\/p>\n Cowboy Carter is, obviously, the name of Beyonc\u00e9’s latest album. <\/p>\n But “Chitlin’ Circuit” might raise some questions in your mind.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n From the late 1880s until the 1960s, so-called Jim Crow laws enforced segregation against black Americans and saw them treated as second-class citizens.<\/p>\n It meant that they were separated from white people – often prevented from living in certain neighbourhoods, forced to attend different schools and banned from public spaces. <\/p>\n During this era, black musicians and performers created their own network of live performance venues across the United States.<\/p>\n Known as the Chitlin’ Circuit, it took its name from “Chitterling” – a dish made with pig’s intestines popular in the south, where Jim Crow laws were most prevalent.<\/p>\n Venues were considered safe and acceptable spaces for black musicians, comedians and audiences and gave many pioneering performers a platform to hone their craft.<\/p>\n Almost every notable black musician of the time graced the circuit at some point, including stars such as Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Jimi Hendrix and James Brown.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The circuit was “tremendously important to the development of black music”, says Mia Bay, Professor of American History at Cambridge University.<\/p>\n “The black stars of the day would travel the circuit,” she tells BBC Newsbeat. <\/p>\n “It was very important to sustaining the careers of many important black performers – it allowed them to make a living in music.<\/p>\n “They were on the road all the time.” <\/p>\n Prof Bay says the presence of the circuit was also “very helpful to black communities”.<\/p>\n Performers were drawn to “black vacation spots” and the theatres at those locations, Prof Bay says. <\/p>\n “This would in turn help the careers of these entertainers,” she says.<\/p>\n “It was one of the more successful segregation-era businesses.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Beyonc\u00e9 has often paid tribute to black performers, and Prof Bay feels the singer’s Texas roots may have played a role in that.<\/p>\n “[It] was very much a segregated state, so this would be something that would be a very direct reference in terms of where she grew up and how she thinks about American history.<\/p>\n “I also think she, in some ways, has a nostalgic reference, because it was such a communal circuit with a lot of performers,” she says.<\/p>\n The star’s latest tour stops off at notable Chitlin’ Circuit cities such as Georgia, Houston and Chicago.<\/p>\n Beyonc\u00e9 fan and music history content creator Nat Brown feels that’s not a coincidence.<\/p>\n Unlike Renaissance, this tour is smaller with only eight cities being played in total globally, with six of those in the US.<\/p>\n “It’s a very small tour,” says Nat.<\/p>\n “Just like it historically was with the Chitlin’ Circuit, where you only went to seven to 10 places.<\/p>\n “And if people were able to see you – great. But most often, people missed out because you blazed through town and went to the next spot.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n She thinks the purpose of using “Chitlin’ Circuit” as part of the title is to educate people who may not know about it.<\/p>\n Beyonc\u00e9’s previous album, Renaissance explored the forgotten influence of black and queer communities on house music. <\/p>\n And Cowboy Carter, which recently won a best album Grammy, delves further into the history of black American musicians.<\/p>\n Nat says: “I think it’s bringing back something old and making it new again.<\/p>\n “This is bringing something to younger generations.<\/p>\n “Being able to see your favourite artist play and things like that and really have that bonding and kind of cultural experience.<\/p>\n “That’s what she’s trying to bring back,” Nat says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"Getty](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/9711\/live\/d9d30d10-e85b-11ef-bd1b-d536627785f2.jpg.webp\")
Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhat’s the Chitlin’ Circuit?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/bbcx\/grey-placeholder.png\")
![\"Getty](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/6592\/live\/d311c290-e857-11ef-bd1b-d536627785f2.jpg.webp\")
Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Getty](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/cecd\/live\/dd2a40a0-e856-11ef-bd1b-d536627785f2.jpg.webp\")
Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/8366\/live\/74a706f0-15d7-11ef-9b12-1ba8f95c4917.jpg.webp\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n