Large Collection of Late 19th and Early 20th Century Black Americana Sheet Music

Various cities including New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Boston: various publishers, primarily circa 1890's to 1920s. Various sized quartos (most measuring approximately 31 x 23.5 cm or 35 x 26.5 cm). Original publisher's colorful wrappers; most circa 4-8 pp. Wrappers worn, many with detached covers, some with tape repairs or ink stamps, some toning to leaves, overall about good. A large collection of 160 pieces of English-language minstrel sheet music songs (including several title duplicates with different cover art), most depicting offensive stereotypes of Black people and caricatures and featuring titles that range from campy to violent. Some have lyrics, while some were instrumental pieces and piano solos.

The songs in this group include music written by Stephen Foster, Billy Rose, Kerry Mills, Bud De Sylva, Chris Schonberg, Wendell Hall, Thomas Allen, Theo Metz, Joe Hayden, Pat Rooney, Harry Von Tilzer, Thurland Chataway, and many others. These songs were mainly performed by white performers, often in blackface makeup. These performers included: Sophie Tucker, Rae Samuels, Tascot the White Coon, Josephine Sabel, Belle Gold, Morris Silver, Anna Held, Maud Lambert, Eddie Cantor, and others. Some of the titles include: After the 'Possum Hunt, At a Darky Camp Meeing, Aunt Jemima's Picnic Day, Cannibal Love, Chili Sauce Rag, Four Little Sugar Plums, I Am de Leadin' Lady ob de Town, I'm Gonna Bring a Watermelon to My Girl To-night, It Takes a Long Tall Brown-Skin Gal To Make a Preacher Lay His Bible Down, Koonville Koonlets, Little Sticks 'o Licorice, My Kickapoo Queen, Plantation Days, Underneath the Harlem Moon, and When the Boys From Dixie Eat the Melon on the Rhine.

A fascinating group which helps to shed light on many of the stereotypes held of African-Americans at the turn of the century. Although many are dominated by problematic ethnic stereotypes, there are also clear nods to a more European aesthetic. A complete list of titles is available upon request.