As a part of our Black History Month education, Mr. Sébastien Obermeir taught us about Ragtime music.

The first musical genre to take America by storm and unite people together, Ragtime originally started in the mid-1890s as a form of syncopated beats or 'ragged' time, hence the name. Mr. Obermeir wanted the students to understand that the blending of African-American styles with traditional Western European classical styles and forms is essential for setting the stage for all other musical fashions of the 20th century in America. "Whether it be jazz, rock and roll, R&B, rap, etc—African American artists are at the forefront of all these movements," Mr. Obermier explained. This morning, he chose to perform two songs on the piano from composer and pianist Scott Joplin*. Joplin and his ragtime music helped shape the music industry along with other Black artists. Mr. Obermier encouraged everyone to listen to some of the greatest Black musicians that also had a huge impact on our culture including Thomas “Fats” Waller, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Charlie “Bird” Parker, Herbie Hancock, Oscar Peterson, and Wynton Marsalis.

Watch Mr. O's performance of Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag" and "The Entertainer" below.

*The image in Photo of the Day is from a stamp issued in 1983.