Black people have always been accepted in roles where they entertain white people as long as they stay in those roles. "You can entertain us in sports, music, theater, etc., but don't expect to eat with us, live near us, go to our schools, etc.

The blackface minstrel shows, while trivializing black people's music and dance, were done to entertain white audiences as if it were black people doing it. Otherwise, the blackface wouldn't have been needed in the performance.

Some history of this at https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/blackface-birth-american-stereotype.