HistoricSiteMarkers
Progressive & Modern Era

Scott Joplin

New York, New York, New York

Marker Inscription

Scott Joplin 1868-1917 The King of Ragtime composer and pianist, whose works include the classic rags, The Entertainer and Maple Leaf Rag, and the opera, Treemonisha, lived here in 1917.

Erected by Historic Landmarks Preservation Center

The Story

Scott Joplin, the 'King of Ragtime,' lived at this Harlem address in 1917, the final year of his life. A composer and pianist of extraordinary gifts, he gave America enduring rags like 'The Entertainer' and 'Maple Leaf Rag' and poured his ambitions into the opera 'Treemonisha.' His syncopated music captured the energy of turn-of-the-century America and laid groundwork for jazz.

Why it matters

Joplin elevated ragtime into an American art form and, as a Black composer reaching for the opera house, embodied the cultural aspirations and barriers of his era.

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