| There is a huge demand for public domain sheet | | | | American soldiers and the plight of the newly |
| music for a variety of purposes. Some folks use | | | | freed slaves. Post Civil War, the collection includes |
| this music to create public performances - and | | | | music related the the challenges of Reconstruction |
| with public domain materials, there are no royalty | | | | and the northern migration of the now freed |
| or performance fees to worry about. Others | | | | slaves. Popular composers include James Bland, |
| want to build collections of royalty free music to | | | | Ernest Hogan, Bob Cole, James Reese Europe, |
| sell to product developers. Still others build themed | | | | and Will Marion Cook. |
| collections and sell it as books or CDs. | | | | Historic American Sheet Music 1850-1920 - This |
| Finding sources of public domain sheet music is | | | | collection contains more than 3000 pieces related |
| not too difficult. A bit of searching in your favorite | | | | to the late 19th and early 20th century periods. |
| search engine will reveal a variety of sources. | | | | The collection is very diverse - spanning a variety |
| One of my favorites is the Library of Congress | | | | of music types including bel canto, minstrel songs, |
| website. It has several fascinating, historical | | | | protest songs, sentimental songs, patriotic and |
| collections free for downloading and using in your | | | | political songs, plantation songs, spirituals, dance |
| projects. Here are some of the collections | | | | music, songs from vaudeville and musicals, "Tin |
| available on their website. | | | | pan alley" songs, and songs from World War I. |
| African-American Sheet Music, 1850-1920 - This | | | | Music for the Nation: American Sheet Music |
| collection consists of over 1300 pieces of | | | | 1820-1860 & 1870-1885 - This massive |
| African-American origin from 1850 through 1920. | | | | archive includes more than 62,000 pieces, about |
| The collection includes many songs from the | | | | 15,000 from the period of 1820-1860 and the rest |
| antebellum minstrelsy in the 1850s and from the | | | | from the period of 1870-1885. This collection |
| abolitionist movement of that same era. It also | | | | includes popular songs, operatic arias, piano music, |
| includes many titles associated with the famous | | | | sacred and secular choral music, solo instrumental |
| novel Uncle Tom's Cabin. Additionally, there are | | | | music and music for band and orchestra. |
| many Civil War era pieces about African | | | | |