Twentieth century

The Twentieth century series contains approximately 21,600 scores dated between 1900 and 1998. The collection represents several styles of American music, such as blues, jazz, minstrel, pop, religious, rhythm and blues, showtunes, and soul music. These scores cover topics including entertainment, industry and professions, the military, people and culture, science and technology, sports and leisure, transportation, travel, and miscellaneous songs. A small number are published outside the United States, including works from Australia, Britain, Europe, Mexico, and Chile.

While many of the scores are intact, several are fragile or loose at the seam, and in some cases, only the cover page remains. Most available cover pages are ornately designed and may contain photographic images of the creators and performers, inserted notes, or autographs. The scores feature lyrical or instrumental compositions, in the form of cake walks, the Charleston, marches, polkas, quadrilles, shuffles, two-steps, and waltzes. Multiple editions exist for some titles. Notable actors, composers, directors, lithographers, lyricists, performers, producers, and publishers are frequently involved, often serving in more than one role.

Overlaps can be found between subseries. For example, certain scores suitable for the European American Creators and performers boxes are located in the People and culture boxes because of their stereotypical representations of people of color. Some of the scores that were created by people of color but performed by European Americans will be found among the boxes for creators and performers of color. The Minstrels boxes contain scores created, and, or performed by European American men. As such, minstrel scores created by people of color or European American women are located in the People and culture boxes pertaining to those two groups. Productions scores created or performed by people of color are located in the Creators and performers boxes pertaining to people of color. The productions scores created or performed by prominent European American women creators and performers are located in the creators and performers boxes pertaining to European American women.

Please note that the collection may contain historical images and language that users could find harmful, offensive, or inappropriate.