chitlin circuit

American  

[chit-lin sur-kit] / ˈtʃɪt lɪn ˈsɜr kɪt /

Or chitlin' circuit

noun

Informal.

1. a group of clubs and theaters featuring Black performers and intended to appeal to Black people.

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Etymology

Origin of chitlin circuit

First recorded in 1965–70; so called because of the assumption that chitlins (one of several dialect pronunciations of chitterlings ( def. ) ) are eaten mostly by African Americans

Example Sentences

In her early 20s, after learning to sing in the church choir, Birdsong became a doo-wop girl on the chitlin circuit, the network of venues where Black performers found refuge during segregation.

From New York Times • Jun. 29, 2023

We need to know the difference between how people dressed in a juke joint or on the chitlin circuit or in small clubs, the difference between Indiana and the South and California.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 1, 2018

He became a hugely successful comedian during the 1960s, with a homespun, conversational style that sharply contrasted with the raunchier fare of "chitlin circuit" comics such as Redd Foxx.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 20, 2014

He played the chitlin circuit in the South before being discovered as a rocker in Europe and his music was also steeped in the blues, R&B and jazz.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 5, 2013

At his early peak, Tate toured the chitlin circuit with Aretha Franklin as her version of “Respect” climbed the charts in 1967.

From Washington Post • Dec. 7, 2011