History of Jazz

By cjtymkow

  • New Orleans

    New Orleans
    New Orleans city council established the Congo Square as the main hub for slave music and dance.

  • Ragtime Composition

    Ragtime Composition
    Pianist Tommy Turpin writes the first known ragtime composition titled Harlem Rag.

  • Cutting Contest

    Cutting Contest
    A cutting contest (music competition) was held for pianists at New York’s Tammany Hall.

  • Lincoln Park

    Lincoln Park
    Lincoln Park was opened as a center for early ragtime and jazz performances

  • Indianapolis Newspaper

    Indianapolis Newspaper
    A black newspaper in Indianapolis released a statement that stated “composers should not set music to a set of words that are intended as a direct insult to the colored race” in reaction to the racist songs popular during that time period

  • Ragtime popularity

    Ragtime popularity
    The popularity of ragtime music continued to grow among black and white folks resulting in increased interaction between the two races.

  • Black Ensemble

    Black Ensemble
    James Reese Europe becomes the first to record ragtime arrangements with a black ensemble.

  • "Sinful Jazz"?

    "Sinful Jazz"?
    The town of Zion in Illinois bans jazz performances after labeling them sinful.

  • Race Recods

    Race Recods
    Race records were created to market and categorize music by race of the performers.

  • Mixed-race recording

    Mixed-race recording
    Pianist Fats Waller participated in a mixed-race recording session where he was forced to play behind a screen to separate him from the white musicians.