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Museum object · Racist and Stereotypical Objects

Play That Barber Shop Chord

1910

Sonora, Tuolumne County, California, United States, North and Central America

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Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

Sheet music for the song Play That Barber Shop Chord. The front cover of the sheet music features an image of a man in blackface wearing a tuxedo and top hat. The man is set against a background of music bars and notes. On the top of the front cover, red and black type reads: [PLAY THAT / BARBER SHOP CHORD]. Above and below the image of the man, black type reads: [PROMINENTLY FEATURED BY / BERT WILLIAMS / Words by / WM. TRACEY / Music by / LEWIS F. MUIR]. At the bottom of the front cover there is a logo for the publisher that reads: [J. Fred Helf Company / 136 West 37th St. N.Y. City / Successor to Helf & Hager Company]. Underneath the logo the number 6 appears in black ink.

Sources & collection details

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture — original record ↗

Source collection ↗

Catalog metadata · CC0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

Catalog reference: 2014.275.5

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