Throughout American history, music has been a central part of daily life, religious practices, and social events. From the Center for Popular Music at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) and the American Antiquarian Society, comes this extensive database of music manuscripts from the eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth centuries. On this website, visitors with a specific research question can conduct a detailed search for a particular song, songwriter, or subject in order to find digitized copies of music manuscripts. Alternatively, those interested in casually browsing the collection may want to start with the site's Gallery of Images, which highlights a variety of collection materials. These include two hymns published in Providence, Rhode Island in 1802 and intended to be sung on the anniversary of American Independence, and a handwritten songbook featuring a number of songs about the U.S. Civil War. This collection will be of interest to fans of music and American history alike.
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