Representations of Blackness in Music of the United States (1830s-1920s)

<p>This collection is a grouping of over 1,400 items dating from the 1830s to the 1920s. The contents of the collection depict representations of Black diasporic people and cultures through close to a century of illustrations and musical and lyrical compositions found in sheet music publications. The collection depicts representations of Blackness during an era dominated by the sheet music publishing industry and prior to the recording industry’s eventual domination over the commercial market which began in the 1920s.</p> <p>While white-dominant representations of Blackness span the majority of years of this collection, representations of Black diasporic peoples by Black performers and composers date to as early as the 1870s with the formation of the first African American Blackface performers and minstrel troupes, and become increasingly visible by the 1890s during the beginnings of African American musical theater. The collection ends with works that point to the age of jazz, commercial blues, and African American musical theater of the 1920s. However, popular musical representations of Blackness continued to proliferate well beyond the dates spanning this collection, up to and including our popular music and media of today.</p> <p>For additional information, context, and historical essays about the music in this collection please see the website created by the Brown University Library's Center for Digital Scholarship: <a href="https://library.brown.edu/cds/sheetmusic/afam/">African American Sheet Music</a></p> <p>For questions about this collection, or other materials in the John Hay Library, contact hay@brown.edu.</p>
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Items in this collection

Go 'long, go 'long

Go 'long, go 'long

Brown University

words by Ella M. Burke; music by Jennie E. Lissenden For voice and piano Caption title Lyricist's name appears as E.M. Burre on cover Advertisement for another song: p. [6]

Gal from the South

Gal from the South

Brown University

music composed by L.V.H. Crosby. For voice and piano Caption title Sung by: the Campbell Minstrels Dedicated to: Earl H. Pierce of the Christy Minstrels Additional verses: p. 4 [i.e. p. 5]

Fly, you blackbirds, fly:: the latest and greatest coon song

words by Lester Bodine; music by Geo. Maywood For voice and piano Cover title Copyright given as MDCCCXCVII on p. 3 and as MDCCCLXCVII on cover Advertisement for other songs: p. [6] Cover illustration: Afro-American woman with razor breaking up camp meeting / Harrell

Farewell to Georgia

Farewell to Georgia

Brown University

words] written by S.S. Steele ; sung by A.F. Winnemore. For voice and piano. Caption title. Series titles 1-6 listed on cover. Cover illustration: lithograph of 2 Afro-American boys playing music.

Fare thee, Lizzie Lee

Fare thee, Lizzie Lee

Brown University

words by Earle C. Jones; music by Chas. N. Daniels For voice and piano Caption title Advertisements for other music: p. [6] Cover illustration: Black man fleeing objects thrown by wife / Detroit Photo Engraving Co.

Exhortation:: a Negro sermon

words by Alex Rogers; music by Will Marion Cook For bass voice and piano Caption title Advertisement for other songs: p. [10] Cover illustration: floral border design Also published for chorus of men's voices Library's copy has retailer's stamp on cover: Phillips & Crew Sheet Music Co., 32 N. Pryor St., Atlanta, Ga.

Exhortation:: a Negro sermon

words by Alex. Rogers; music by Will Marion Cook For high voice and piano in D minor Caption title Advertisement for another song: p. [8] Cover illustration: floral border design Also published for low (bass) voice in A minor, and for chorus of men's voices

Emma Snow

Emma Snow

Brown University

as sung by the Campbell Minstrells [sic] ; arranged for the piano forte. For voice, 4-part chorus, and piano. Cover title. Additional verses printed on p. 5. The number 2 1/2 appears in a star in lower right of cover.

Down in sunny Alabama:: (Angeline[)]: a coon love song

words by James Burrell; music by James T. Brymn For voice and piano Caption title Lyricist's name appears as James Burrel on cover "Musical supplement to the New York Sunday Press, Sunday, February 17th, 1901"--Cover Cover illustration: drawing of woman with flowers / B. Gutmann

Don't you think you'd like to fondle me

words and music by Hughie Cannon For voice and piano Caption title Sung by: Dora Dean of Johnson & Dean Advertisements for other songs: p. [2, 7 and 8] Cover illustration: photograph of Dora Dean; drawing of Afro-American man and woman sitting on a train / Bert Cob

Do not go away my lady love

composed by C. White For voice and piano Caption title Sung by: White's Serenaders Additional verses: p. 5 Song also appears as no. 3 of series Cover illustration: lithographed design with portraits of White's Serenaders, Charles White, and Master Marks "Lith. of Sarony & Major, 117, Fulton St., N. York"--Cover

Do de angels weep?:: story song and refrain

words by Will A. Cook; music by C.A. Egener For voice and piano Cover title At head of title: Sung with great success by Katherine Trayer, of Libbey & Trayer Advertisement for other music: p. [6] Cover illustration: drawing of angel with child; photograph of woman [Katherine Trayer?]

Dixie's land

Dixie's land

Brown University

Dan D. Emmett For voice and piano Caption title Advertisements for "Bridal bouquet waltzes": p. [6] Cover illustration: drawing of Confederate soldier and contemporary sailor under American flag

Dixie:: the gayest and most joyous of all American national songs

by Daniel Decatur Emmett; arranged for soprano, alto, tenor and bass with accompaniment by Charles T. Sempers together with his verses If Washington were here For chorus (SATB) and piano Cover title Advertisements for other songs: p. [4] "Dixie and its story": p. [4]

Dine and Joe

Dine and Joe

Brown University

written & composed for the Ethiopian Minstrels and sung by them with rapturous applause at their principal concerts. For voice, chorus (STAB) and piano. Cover title.

Dem white pants:: at a swell cake walk

words by James T. Powers; music by Max Dreyfus For voice and piano Caption title Sung by: James T. Powers and Rachel Booth in the musical comedy "The messenger boy" Advertisements for other music: p. [2], 6-8 Cover illustration: drawing of well-dressed Black couple with photographed faces of Powers and Booth

Deep river:: part song for men's voices: Negro spiritual

arranged by Williams Arms Fisher For men's voices (TTBB) and piano Caption title "In making this arrangement the piano transcription by the late Coleridge-Taylor has in part been followed"--P. [2] Advertisement for other songs: p. [1] Advertisement for "Books on the voice": p. [8] Also published as orchestra parts

De skeeters do bite

De skeeters do bite

Brown University

words by Marshall S. Pike ; arranged by L.V.H. Crosby. For voice and piano. Caption title. Cover illustration: lithograph of the Harmoneons, with portraits of Js. Power as Toney, M.S. Pike as Fanny, L.V.H. Crosby as Pomp, F. Lynch as Gumbo, and Jno. [sic] Power as Sambo / W. Sharp. "W. Sharp & Co. litho."--Cover.

De history ob de world

De history ob de world

Brown University

arranged for the piano forte by T. Contreso. For voice and piano. Caption title. Sung by William Parker in the popular extravaganza of the Buffalo Gals at the Adelphi. Additional verses: p. 3.

De color'd fancy ball

De color'd fancy ball

Brown University

For men's voices (TTB) and piano. Caption title. "Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1847 by Firth & Hall..."--Cover. Additional verse printed on p. 6. Series titles 1-18 listed on cover. Cover illustration: lithograph of the Ethiopian Serenaders in concert, labelled with names, Pell, Harrington, White, Stanwood, and Germon.

Dat's ma baby dat's ma honey:: Negro song

words and music by Joseph Hart For voice and piano Cover title Library's cop. 2 has retailer's stamp on cover: Texas Music Supply House, Beaumont, Texas Advertisement for "When I do the hoochy-coochy in the sky": cop. 2, p. [6]

Dar's somethin' about yer I like

words & music by John T. Kelly For voice and piano Cover title At head of title: An Ethiopian character creation Sung by May Irwin in Kate Kip-Buyer Cover illustration: cartoon drawing of Afro-American man and woman / Hart; photograph of May Irwin

Dan Tucker quick step & song

For voice and piano. Caption title. "1839-1844, Prentiss, Henry, 33 Court St. [Boston]"--Early American sheet music / Dichter & Shapiro, p. 224. Attributed to Dan Emmett in: Series of old American songs / Brown University Library, No. 37. Additional verses printed on p. 3.

Creole lover's song:: for tenor or soprano

words by Edmund C. Stedman; music by Dudley Buck For tenor or soprano and piano Caption title Dedicated to: Henry S. Brown Advertisement for other songs: p. [8] Cover illustration: border design / Edward B. Edwards des Also published for baritone or alto

Crappy Dan:: de spo'tin' man

words and music by Charles E. Trevathan For voice and piano Caption title Sung by: May Irwin Advertisement for other songs: p. 6 Cover illustration: drawing of Afro-American man / E.S. Fisher; photograph of May Irwin

Cotton pickin' time in Alabam'

words by Harold L. Cool; music by Arthur J. Daly For voice and piano Cover title Advertisement for another song: p. [4] Cover illustration: drawing of Afro-American gamblers, banjo player, woman / Barbelle Orchestrations available Library's copy has stamp on p. 2: "Copyright transferred MCMXVII to Wm. Jerome Publishing Corp."