Black American Sheet Music Collection
The Bank of America Black American Sheet Music Collection consists of approximately 4000 pieces of published sheet music reflecting the influences of African Americans on popular music in the United States. The music was created by, performed by, published by, or portrays Black and African American themes throughout the 19th and 20th centuries in the United States. The collection highlights popular vocal music, jazz, big band, and swing music published in the United States. The earliest piece in the collection dates to 1818, and the latest editions date into the 1980s, thereby giving a chronicle of the evolution of Black-inspired music in America for almost 200 years. Some imagery and lyrics in this collection reflect harmful racist depictions of Black people and are included in the collections for their use in academic research.
Content Warning:
USF Libraries’ Digital Collections include historical and primary sources from many cultures and time periods. Some content may be harmful, graphic, difficult to view, or reflect biases. Digital Collections provides access to these materials to preserve the historical record, but we do not endorse the attitudes, prejudices, or behaviors found within them. USF Libraries’ is committed to conscious editing of Libraries’ generated descriptive terminology that may be offensive, harmful, or out of date.
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12th Street Rag
Euday Louis Bowman and C. E. Wheeler
The score for Euday Louis Bowman's "12th Street Rag," arranged by C.E. Wheeler.
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A Banjo Song
Sidney Homer and Howard Weeden
A piano and voice score for "A Banjo Song" with lyrics by Howard Weeden and music by Sidney Homer.
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A Happy Coon from Dixie
Abbie A. Ford
A piano score for "A Happy Coon from Dixie" by composer Abbie Ford.
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Alagazam!: Cake Walk, March and Two Step
Abe Holzmann
A score for the cake walk, march, and two step "Alagazam!" by composer Abe Holzmann.
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Alimony Go 'Way
C. E. Howell and R. E. Long
The piano and lyrics for "Alimony Go 'Way" with words by C.E. Howell and R.E. Long and music by C.E. Howell.
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All in Down and Out
Christopher M. Smith, Billy B. Johnson, Elmer Bowman, and R. C. McPherson
The piano and voice score for "All In Down and Out" with words by Cecil Mack (R.C. McPherson), a Black entertainer; and music by Elmer Bowman and Christopher M. Smith, a Black composer and popular vaudeville performer.
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All Night Long
Shelton Brooks
The piano and voice score for "All Night Long" with words and music by Shelton Brooks, a Black songwriter. The cover says the song was originally introduced in vaudeville by Grace Wilson.
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All that I Had is Gone
Shelton Brooks and W. R. Williams
The piano and voice score for "All that I Had is Gone" by Shelton Brooks, a Black songwriter, and W.R. Williams.
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All the Big Song Successes: As Introduced by Lew Dockstader and His Own Great Minstrels
Lew Dockstader
A scorebook with several songs including "The Wanderer" by Jean C. Havez and Edward Victor Cupero; "Texas Tommy's Dance" by Edgar Leslie and Lewis F. Muir; "Let's Make a Rag of the Old Oaken Bucket" by Edgar Leslie and Fred Watson; "Hands Up" by Arthur J. Lamb and J. Fred Helf; "Love Me to a Yiddisha Melody" by Joe Young and Edgar Leslie; "I am Longing for the Old Days Marguerite" by Arthur J. Lamb and J. Fred Helf; "Wanted! A Harp like the Angels Play" by E.B.E. Bessey and J. Fred Helf; "On the First Dark Night Next Week" by Edgar Leslie; "Gee, But It's Great to Meet a Friend from Your Home Town" by William Tracey and James McGavisk; "When Tony La Board Played the Barber Shop Chord" by Joe Young and Bert Grant; and "Lord! Have Mercy on the Married Man" by Edgar Leslie and J. Fred Helf. Lew Dockstader was a comedian and vaudeville actor who routinely performed in blackface.
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A Mammy's Song
James R. Gillette and Mindel R. Harris
A score with lyrics for "A Mammy's Song" with words by Mindel R. Harris and music by James R. Gillette.
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Am I Blue?
Harry Akst and Grant Clarke
The score for "Am I Blue" from On With the Show. Lyrics by Grant Clarke. Music by Harry Akst.
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Annie Lowe
G. Friedrich Wurzel and James Simmonds
Song and chorus composed for Wood's Minstrels. Composed by George Frederick Root, who chose to go by the pseudonym G. Friedrich Wurzel (Wurzel is German for "root") to capitalize on the popularity of other German composers. Lyrics by James Simmonds.
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Any Old Place in Yankee Land is Good Enough for Me
Will Marion Cook and Chris Smith
The score for "Any Old Place in Yankee Land is Good Enough for Me" with words by Alex Rogers, a Black lyricist and entertainer; music by Will Marion Cook, a Black composer and Chris Smith, a Black songwriter.
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A Plantation Medley of Southern Airs
Albert Snow
Piano scores for parts of "Marching through Georgia," "Old Black Joe," "Darling Nelly Gray," "Maryland My Maryland," "In the Evening by the Moonlight," "Dixie's Land," "Massa's in the Cold Cold Ground," and "My Old Kentucky Home" all arranged by J. Albert Snow. "Maryland My Maryland" was originally composed by James Ryder Randall. Benjamin Hanby composed "Darling Nelly Gray." "In the Evening by the Moonlight" was composed by Harry Von Tilzer. "Dixe's Land" was composed by Daniel Decatur Emmett. "Marching through Georgia" was composed by Henry Clay Work. Stephen Foster composed "Old Black Joe," "Massa's in the Cold Cold Ground," and "My Old Kentucky Home."
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Apple Jack: (Some Rag)
Charles Leslie Johnson
The score for "Apple Jack" composed by Charles L. Johnson.
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Ashy Africa: An African Rag
Percy Wenrich
The piano score for "Ashy Africa" composed by Percy Wenrich.
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A-singin' an' A-singin'
William Harold Neidlinger and F. L. Stanton
The voice and piano score for "A-singin; an' a-singin'" by William Harold Neidlinger and F.L. Stanton.
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As the Sunflower Turns to the Sun
Will Marion Cook and Richard Grant
The piano and vocal score for "As the Sunflower Turns to the Sun" with lyrics by Richard Grant and music by Will Marion Cook, a Black composer.
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A Syncopated Lullaby
Clarence E. Sinn
An arrangement for mixed voices of "A Syncopated Lullaby" with lyrics and music by Clarence E. Sinn.
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At a Darktown Cakewalk
Charles Hale
The piano score for "At a Darktown Cakewalk" composed by Charles Hale.
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At a Georgia Campmeeting
Kerry Mills
The piano score for "At a Georgia Campmeeting" composed by Kerry Mills.
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At Eve I Miss Thee When Alone
Louis V.H. Crosby
The piano and vocal score for the ballad "At Eve I Miss Thee When Alone," composed by Louis V.H. Crosby. The ballad was sung at the concerts of Harmoneons & Washington Euterpeans.
