![Black American Sheet Music Collection](../assets/md5images/631533aad9ebc1056849446027776b8a.jpg)
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is committed to conscious editing of Libraries’ generated descriptive terminology that may be offensive, harmful, or out of date.
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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.
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The Dying Child
Louis V. H. Crosby and Theodore A. Gould
From A Collection of Songs and Ballads Composed with a Piano Accompaniment. "Music composed and respectfully dedicated to Mrs. Eliza Chandler of Springfield, Mass."
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Off For Baltimore (My Sally Dear)
William Donaldson and B. E. Woolf
Ethiopian melody. Arranged for the piano by B. E. Woolf. As sung by Whites Ethiopian Serenaders.
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The Dying Girl
John Hill Hewitt
From Songs of Kunkel's Nightingale Opera Troupe. As sung by Master J. Adams.
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Farewell My Lilly Dear
Stephen Collins Foster
A plantation melody as sung by Christy's Minstrels. Composed for piano and guitar.
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Nancy Till
White's Serenaders
The favorite Ethiopian melody. Written for and sung by White's Serenaders.
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Mary Blane Polka
Henry Chadwick
Circa 1850. Arranged for the piano and dedicated to Miss Margaretta T. Hinman.
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Emma Dale
W. N. Chambers and J. P. Temple
Sung by the Sable Melodists. Arranged for the piano. Words by W. N. Chambers. Music by J. P. Temple.
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Home Again, A
John Pond Ordway and Marshall S. Pike
Sung with rapturous applause by the Harmoneons. Dedicated most affectionately to Lizzie C. Oakes of Charleston, South Carolina.
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Home Again, B
John Pond Ordway and Marshall S. Pike
Sung with rapturous applause by the Harmoneons. Dedicated most affectionately to Lizzie C. Oakes of Charleston, South Carolina.
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The New Mary Blane
Edward L. White
Note: This copy is missing pages. Arranged as a Quick Step by Edward L. White.
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Hither We Come
Max Zorer
As sung at Christy's Opera Comique. Arranged from Balfes Opera "The Enchantress."
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Susan Rayne
E. P. Christy
A celebrated Ethiopian melody as sung by the Christy Minstrels. Arranged for voice and piano.
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Julius Quadrilles (Third Sett.)
John Casper Scherpf
Arranged from the celebrated Christy Melodies. Includes Virginia Rosebud or the Lost Child; Uncle Ned; Stop Dat Knocking; Away Down South; Darkies History.