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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is committed to conscious editing of Libraries’ generated descriptive terminology that may be offensive, harmful, or out of date.
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Massa's in the Cold Ground (Transcription)
Eduard Holst
Transcription for the piano. The name Karen M. Young, 1906 is written in the margin on the first page.
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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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Love's Philosophy
Clarence Lucas and P. B. Shelley
Malagueña, a Spanish dance of African origin. Words by P. B. Shelley. Music in the Moorish style of Southern Spain by Clarence Lucas.
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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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Driven From Home
William Shakespeare Hays
"To Miss Nannie Rogers, Louisville, Ky." Arranged for piano and guitar.
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Daylight: A Musical Expression for the Piano
Thomas Greene Wiggins Bethune
Thomas Greene Wiggins Bethune (called "Blind Tom") was a Black pianist and composer.
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The Rain Storm
Thomas Greene Wiggins Bethune
Thomas Greene Wiggins Bethune (called "Blind Tom") was a Black pianist and composer.
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That's What's The Matter With Hannah
J. H. Ross and S. S. Steele
Comic Ballad. Song and chorus as sung by J. L. Murphy of Cotton, Murphy and Smith's Minstrels.
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How Long the Hours Seem, Love!
Henry Wood and P. B. Isaacs
As sung by Mr. C. Henry of Wood's Minstrels.
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O Sing To Me Those Dear Old Songs
Frederick Buckley and Chas. Sturtevant
To Charles G. Pond. As sung by the Buckley Serenaders.
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Flora Lyle
M. Keller and Peter F. Stout
A ballad with chorus. As sung by Rollin Howard at Bryant's Minstrels.