John McWhorter, known for his bold opinions expressed through his Opinion column in The New York Times, is now delving into the realm of American music with a wide-ranging perspective.
McWhorter’s initial connection with the subject was sparked by the music of Scott Joplin, the renowned ragtime composer. While ragtime may evoke images of a bygone era, McWhorter sees beyond the sepia-toned facade and recognizes the profound, multi-layered narrative that lies beneath the surface.
He delves into the life and times of Scott Joplin, a Black composer who came of age in a transformative era, just five years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Joplin’s journey was one of liberation and boundless promise, yet it was stifled by the constraints of racial and cultural biases. Although history remembers him as the King of Ragtime, he aspired to be recognized as a classically-trained composer, with dreams of leaving a legacy through grand operas.
As McWhorter and many others have come to realize, history is often shaped by the biases of its chroniclers. The conversation between McWhorter and others like him about Joplin’s music has evolved into a broader discussion about revisiting the past through a wider lens. This process involves reevaluating the present, refocusing intentions for the future, and even revising opinions about the world in which we live.
Through the exploration of American music and its cultural significance, John McWhorter invites us to reconsider the narratives that have shaped our collective understanding, challenging us to embrace a more comprehensive perspective on the past and its enduring impact on the present.
