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is committed to conscious editing of Libraries’ generated descriptive terminology that may be offensive, harmful, or out of date.
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Roll, Jordan, Roll: Song: Negro Spiritual
Henri F. Klickmann
"Roll, Jordan, Roll" is a traditional Black spiritual.
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Rosa Lee
Unknown
Sung by the Ethiopian Serenaders, Christy's Minstrels, and others. Arranged with chorus and accompaniments for the piano.
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Russian Rag
George L. Cobb and F. Henri Klickmann
Full score. Interpolating the world famous "Prelude" by Rachmaninoff.
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Sam's Laugh
Ed O'Connor
Characteristic March and Two Step. The name Ethel Nlack is written in the margins on the front cover.
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Say Au Revoir, But Not Good-Bye
Harry Kennedy
Waltz. Sung nightly with tremendous success by Helene Mora.
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She Rested by the Broken Brook
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Robert Louis Stevenson
Part of Songs by S. Coleridge-Taylor.
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Shew Fly Galop
George Thorne and Rollin Howard
Taken from Rollin Howard's Popular Song, "Shew Fly! Don't Bother Me.:
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Shine on My Evening Star
John Rosamond Johnson and Robert Allen Cole
Robert Allen Cole was a Black lyricist. John Rosamond Johnson was a Black composer.
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Song Album of Primrose and Dockstader's Minstrels
Dave Reed Jr., Irving Jones, John Rosamund Johnson, and Will A. Heelan
Sleep On, Dream On!; I've Got Money Locked Up In A Vault; Don't Butt In; There Are Two Sides To A Story.
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Sounds of the Times
John Rosamond Johnson and Robert Allen Cole
Robert Allen Cole was a Black lyricist. John Rosamond Johnson was a Black composer.
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St Louis Tickle
Theron Catlen Bennett
Rag Time Two Step by Barney and Seymore, a pseudonym for composer Theron Catlen Bennett.
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Strut, Miss Lizzie
Henry Sterling Creamer and Turner Layton
By Creamer and Layton. Henry Creamer was an African American lyricist, and Turner Layton was an African American singer and songwriter.
