Written by

Sterling, Andrew B., American, 1874 - 1955

Composed by

Von, Harry Tilzer, American, 1872 - 1946

Published by

Von, Harry Tilzer Music Publishing Co., American, founded 1902

Owned by

Sugg, Mary Elizabeth, American, 1839 - 1915

McDonald, Vernon Sugg, American, 1906 - 1982

Date

1904

Medium

ink on paper

Dimensions

H x W: 13 7/8 × 11 in. (35.2 × 27.9 cm)

Description

Sheet music for the song Alexander Don't You Love Your Baby No More? The front cover of the sheet music features an illustration of An African American woman talking to a sleeping man through a window in red, green and black ink. There are two photographs with a green hue on the bottom half of the cover. The larger photograph is of five people with the caption that reads: [Pauline Wells / and her / Plantation Quartette]. The second smaller photograph is of Harry Von Tilzer. The caption reads: [Harry Von Tilzer / Our Trade Mark]. Red and black type on the top of the cover reads, [TERRIFIC COON HIT BY THE WRITERS OF "HANNAH WON'T YOU OPEN THAT DOOR?" / ALEXANDER / DON'T YOU LOVE YOUR BABY NO MORE?]. Offset in black type to the proper left of the cover the text reads: [CAN'T YOU SEE THE RAIN AND HAIL AM FASTLY FALLING, / ALEXANDER. / DON'T YOU HEAR YOU LADY LOVE A-SOFTLY CALLING, / ALEXANDER, / TAKE ME TO YOUR HEART AGAIN AND CALL ME HONEY, / ALL I WANT IS LOVIN', I DON'T WANT YOUR MONEY, / ALEXANDER, TELL ME, / DON'T YOU LOVE YOUR BABY NO MORE?]. The bottom of the cover has a text box that reads: [WORDS BY / ANDREW B. STERLING / MUSIC BY / HARRY VON TILZER]. A publishing logo reads: [Harry Von Tilzer / Music Publishing Co. / 37 W 28 St New York also Chicago.Frisco.London]. The interior of the sheet music has four pages of music notes and bars in black ink. The back cover has a sample of another song in green ink, titled [Coax Me.].

Statement

Objects depicting racist and/or stereotypical imagery or language may be offensive and disturbing, but the NMAAHC aims to include them in the Collection to present and preserve the historical context in which they were created and used. Objects of this type provide an important historical record from which to study and evaluate racism.

Place collected

Sonora, Tuolumne County, California, United States, North and Central America

Place printed

New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Classification

Documents and Published Materials-Sheet music

Racist and Stereotypical Objects

Type

sheet music

Topic

Blackface

Minstrel (Music)

Stereotypes

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Sylvia Alden Roberts

Object number

2014.275.8

Restrictions & Rights

Public domain

Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5fabaff9a-0dac-40bc-975c-6556e342ed04