[WARNING: This song contains antiquated racial stereotypes. It is presented here for historical and educational purposes only.]
A 1902 popular song
Words by Paul Laurence Dunbar
Music by Will. Marion Cook
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
1. Streets are gay, on de way
All de alleys done turned out
Mistah Giles wid Miss Liles
Make a figure wid out doubt
Hyeah dey come, Lord dat drum
In de black ban’ holds de sway
‘Cept de brass, give it sass
On Emancipation day
Darkies standin on tip toe
Makin’ goo-goos at de show
Chorus
On Emancipation day
All you white folks clear de way
Brass ban’ playin’ sev’ral tunes
Darkies eyes look jes’ lak moons
Marshall of de day a struttin’
Lord but he is gay
Coons dressed up lak Masqueraders
Porters armed lak rude invaders
When dey hear dem ragtime tunes
White folks try to pass fo’ coons
On Emancipation day
2. Heah um cry, my oh my
When de ‘cession shows its head
Majors brown ridin’ down
On cart hosses decked in red
Teeth lak pearls, greet the girls
Standin’ dere lak dusky storms
Oh! my pet, what a set
Of owdacious uniforms
Generals stiff as hick’ry sticks
In de dress of sev’nty six
Sung here by Fred Feild: