This exhibition introduces a new generation of visitors to ragtime—one of the first truly global popular music styles. Tracing the genre’s evolution from its roots in West African rhythms and European musical traditions to its pivotal role in the emergence of jazz, the exhibition explores ragtime’s vibrant cultural legacy. Through seven thematic sections, it examines the music’s historical foundations, its rise to mainstream popularity, and its crossover into Broadway, film, and popular culture, offering a rich and comprehensive portrait of ragtime’s enduring dynamism and influence. Featuring selections from The John Davis Collection of Early Printed Musical African Americana as the foundation of the exhibition, it will also include works from the Morgan's holdings as well as from a number of private collections.
Visitors will encounter the fascinating juxtaposition between two of the genre’s greatest figures, Ernest Hogan (1865–1909), a pioneering Black songwriter who broke boundaries by creating a sound that resonated with the Black working classes, and Scott Joplin (1869–1917), a master of composition who elevated ragtime to a sophisticated art form. Their combined compositional range allowed for both the expression of the Black community’s experiences and aspirations through catchy melodies and relatable narratives, and the opportunity to challenge performative racial stereotypes by offering dignified and accomplished representations of Black Americans.
Organized by Jesse Erickson, Astor Curator and Department Head, Printed Books and Bindings, Robinson McClellan, Mary Flagler Cary Curator, Music Manuscripts and Printed Music, and John Davis, Guest Curator.
Scott Joplin. Maple leaf rag / St. Louis : John Stark & Son, 1899, front cover. The Morgan Library & Museum, PMC 2830.