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is committed to conscious editing of Libraries’ generated descriptive terminology that may be offensive, harmful, or out of date.
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Mah Moonlight Lou
Herbert Dillea, C. J. Campbell, and Ralph M. Skinner
The piano and vocal score for "Mah Moonlight Lou" with music by Herbert Dillea and lyrics by C.J. Campbell and Ralph Skinner. Dedicated to Mr. Edgar Richards.
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Make Those Naughty Eyes Behave
Maceo Pinkard and Edna Alexander
The piano and vocal score for "Make Those Naughty Eyes Behave" by Edna Alexander and Maceo Pinkard, a Black songwriter.
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Ma Little Sun Flow'r—Good-Night!
Frederick W. Vanderpool and Louis Weslyn
The piano and vocal score for "Ma Little Sun Flow're - Good-Night!" with music by Frederick W. Vanderpool and lyrics by Louis Weslyn. Dedicated to Princess Tsianina.
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Ma Mississippi Belle, 1900
John Rosamond Johnson, Robert Allen Cole, and James Weldon Johnson
The piano score for "Ma Mississippi Belle" with music by John Rosamond Johnson and lyrics by Bob Cole and James Weldon Johnson. Robert Allen Cole was a Black lyricist. John Rosamond Johnson was a Black composer. Cole wrote the words alongside Johnson's brother James Weldon Johnson, a Black American writer and civil rights activist.
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Ma Mississippi Belle, 1903
John Rosamond Johnson and Bob Cole
The vocal and piano score for "Ma Mississippi Belle," with words and music by Robert Allen Cole, a Black lyricist, and John Rosamond Johnson, a Black composer.
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Mammy Dear
C. S. Montanye and Frank H. Grey
The piano and vocal score for "Mammy Dear" with lyrics by C.S. Montanye and music by Frank H. Grey.
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Mammy Land
Harold Dixon and Nomis
The score and lyrics for "Mammy Land" with words by Nomis and music by Harold Dixon.
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Mammy O'Mine
Maceo Pinkard and William Tracey
The piano and vocal score for "Mammy O'Mine" with music by Maceo Pinkard, a Black songwriter, and lyrics by William Tracey.
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Mammy's Little Sunny Honey Boy
Jack Caddigan and Chick Story
The full score for "Mammy's Little Sunny Honey Boy" with music by Chick Story and lyrics by Jack Caddigan.
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Mandy Lou
Frederick Hall and Paul Laurence Dunbar
The piano and vocal score for "Mandy Lou" by Paul Laurence Dunbar, a Black poet, and music by Frederick Hall, a Black composer.
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Mandy, Won't You Let Me be Your Beau?
John Rosamond Johnson and Robert Allen Cole
The vocal and piano score for "Mandy, Won't You Let Me be Your Beau," with words and music by Robert Allen Cole, a Black lyricist, and John Rosamond Johnson, a Black composer.
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Māori: A Samoan Song
William H. Tyers and Henry S. Creamer
The score for "Maori: A Samoan Song" with music by William H. Tyers and lyrics by Henry S. Creamer. Adapted from the instrumental number "Māori: A Samoan Dance."
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Maple Leaf Rag: Piano Solo
Scott Joplin
The piano score for "Maple Leaf Rag" by Scott Joplin. From the Melrose Collection of Blues Stomps and Ragtime.
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Marie Cahill's Congo Love Song, A
John Rosamond Johnson and James Weldon Johnson
The score for "Marie Cahill's Congo Love Song" with lyrics by James Weldon Johnson, a Black writer, and music by John Rosamond Johnson, a Black composer. James Weldon Johnson and John Rosamond Johnson were brothers.
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Marie Cahill's Congo Love Song, B
John Rosamond Johnson, Robert Allen Cole, and James Weldon Johnson
The piano score for "Marie Cahill's Love Song" as part of the musical comedy "Nancy Brown." The song was composed by Robert Allen Cole, a Black lyricist, and John Rosamond Johnson and James Weldon Johnson, both Black composers and civil rights activits.
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Mary Blane Polka
Henry Chadwick
The piano score for the "Mary Blane Polks" by Henry Chadwick and dedicated to Margaretta T. Hinman.
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Massa's in de Cold Ground
Stephen Collins Foster
The score for Stephen Collins Foster's "Massa's in de Cold Ground" as sung by Christy's Minstrels.
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Massa's in the Cold Ground (Transcription)
Eduard Holst and Stephen Collins Foster
A transcription for the piano of "Massa's in the Cold Ground" originally composed by Stephen Collins Foster and arranged by Eduard Holst. The name Karen M. Young, 1906 is written in the margin on the first page.
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Memory Bells
Henry Tucker
The piano and vocal score for "Memory Bells" with music and lyrics by Henry Tucker. Sung by Mr. Frank Leslie of Bryant's Minstrels.
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Mexico
John Rosamond Johnson, Robert Allen Cole, and James Weldon Johnson
The piano and vocal score for "Mexico" from vocal and instrumental numbers in Humpty Dumpty. Music is by Robert Allen Cole, a Black lyricist. Lyrics are by Cole and James Weldon Johnson, a Black American writer and civil rights activist. His brother, John Rosamond Johnson also contributed to the score.
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Mighty Lak' a Rose (High Voice)
Ethelbert Nevin and Frank L. Stanton
The piano and vocal score for "Might Lak' a Rose" with music by Ethelbert Nevin and lyrics by Frank L. Stanton. The song is dedicated to Mrs. Adele Laeïs Baldwin.
