Coming soon! “Ragtime: Cakewalk in Pianoland” opens November 13th, 2026, at the Morgan Library and Museum
This exhibition introduces a new generation of visitors to ragtime—one of the first truly global popular music styles. Tracing the genre’s evolution from its roots in West African rhythms and European musical traditions to its pivotal role in the emergence of jazz, the exhibition explores ragtime’s vibrant cultural legacy. Through seven thematic sections, it examines the music’s historical foundations, its rise to mainstream popularity, and its crossover into Broadway, film, and popular culture, offering a rich and comprehensive portrait of ragtime’s enduring dynamism and influence. Featuring selections from The John Davis Collection of Early Printed Musical African Americana as the foundation of the exhibition, it will also include works from the Morgan’s holdings as well as from a number of private collections.
![ragtime](https://syncopatedtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Ragtime-Image-ad.jpg" "Exhibit")
Visitors will encounter the fascinating juxtaposition between two of the genre’s greatest figures, Ernest Hogan “The Father of Ragtime” (1865–1909), a pioneering Black songwriter who broke boundaries by creating a sound that resonated with the Black working classes, a founder of the 1905 Memphis Students Company (Will H. Dixon 1879-1917), a group of Elite Syncopators and Scott Joplin (1868–1917), a master of composition who elevated ragtime to a sophisticated art form. Their combined compositional range allowed for both the expression of the Black community’s experiences and aspirations through catchy melodies and relatable narratives, and the opportunity to challenge performative racial stereotypes by offering dignified and accomplished representations of Black Americans.
“Ragtime: Cakewalk in Pianoland” is made possible by Katharine J. Rayner and Denise Littlefield Sobel, with generous support from Brook Berlind, Mark Jenkins and Karen Holland, and Mr. G. Scott Clemons and Ms. Karyn Joaquino. Additional support was provided by Henrietta Paige Hakes and the Charles E. Pierce Jr. Fund for Exhibitions.
Lawrence H. Levens, Custodian and Guardian
Barnes/Dixon/Myers Historical Harlem Papers, Archives and Musical Manuscripts Collection
As the Custodian and Guardian of the Barnes/Dixon/Myers Historical Harlem Papers, Archives and Musical Manuscripts Collection, Lawrence H. Levens is working to restore this Ragtime Conductor Will H. Dixon to his rightful place in the annals of American Music History.
