University of Pennsylvania receives Francis Johnson Collection
The University of Pennsylvania Libraries has acquired a collection of early-nineteenth-century editions of music by Philadelphia bandleader and composer Francis Johnson (1792-1844). Although a free African American, Johnson lived in an age when racial segregation and prejudice were commonplace. Despite these obstacles, he was able to achieve extraordinary renown and respect among the elite of Philadelphia through performances of his band at balls, parades, and promenade concerts. Following a series of concert tours late in his life, Johnson's fame eventually extended through the Midwest and across the Atlantic to London. His music survives today in piano arrangements published during his lifetime. The collection acquired by the Penn Libraries was assembled by the late Kurt Stein, a Philadelphia-area collector of Americana. For more information, contact Dick Griscom at griscom@upenn.edu.