Composer Scott Joplin, the 'King of Ragtime,' is born around this time in northeast Texas.
At a Glance
- Date
- 24 November 1868
- Location
- Texarkana, Texas
- Key people
- Scott Joplin
- Category
- Music
- Source
- Sheet music; biographical records · Library of Congress
What It Meant Then
His rags, including 'Maple Leaf Rag,' brought a Black musical form to national popularity.
What It Means Now
Joplin later won a posthumous Pulitzer Prize for his contributions to American music.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “Scott Joplin Is Born.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/scott-joplin-is-born/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Scott Joplin Is Born. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/scott-joplin-is-born/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “Scott Joplin Is Born.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/scott-joplin-is-born/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.