Broadway musical Ragtime: history and cultural significance

Ragtime": The Theme & Mood of an America that Changes, Yet Still Stays the Same

The American musical "Ragtime" is unusual in the history of Broadway because it takes on the serious issues of race and the inequities of American society in a way that deals with the prejudices of the past as complicated matters, not as something that can be done away with in a bit of song and dance. True, older American musicals like "Showboat" did present some of the hardships experienced by African-Americans, and imported British musicals like "Les Miserables" dealt with poverty and injustice on a grand, sweeping historical scale. But "Ragtime" articulates a profound, critical question that many people may ask internally, but few Americans dare to openly say out loud -- why have African-Americans had such a difficult time becoming integrated into American society, unlike Jewish immigrants and other ethnic groups of Americans?

The musical critiques America by intertwining the stories of Coalhouse Walker, Jr., an African-American musician, a WASP from a prominent family, and a Latvian Jewish immigrant named Tateh. All of the characters struggle to come to terms with a changing world. But unlike Tateh, despite his talent, Walker gains little respect from others in America. Ragtime music is adored, but that does not stop Walker's beloved new automobile from being destroyed by a gang of racist thugs. At first, Walker has a devil-may-care attitude, but then he realizes that he cannot expect respect, or even buy it in the form of a shiny new car, in a bitterly divided America.

Worse yet, the people who destroy Walker's car are not simply street toughs, but actual representatives of a corrupt civil administration, Irish-American firemen who are threatened by an African-American appearing to rise above his appointed station. Ironically, Walker founds a sympathetic ear from a representative of a far older generation of American immigrant power (for all Americans are immigrants, even WASPs) in the form of Father and Mother. They are sympathetic to Walker because of their fondness for Sarah, a young Black washerwoman who is Coalhouse's lover. The iconic WASP family is called only by their family identities, because unlike Walker and the Jewish Tateh, they do not need to make a name for themselves -- their place in the world is secure. But even with the help of a prominent family, no one will take a stand against the firemen. Walker becomes an angry, militant activist, feeling, perhaps rightly so, that in 20th century America, no one will treat a Black man with respect. However, the presence of the gentler but still strong Sarah underlines that not every Black American agrees with Walker, as does the presence of prominent, historical Black Americans like Booker T. Washington.

The prejudices of the legal system and society make an ironic contrast between the fact that Black music gives the musical its name and its score (although there are some Jewish folk songs to speak for the culture of Tateh). But in contrast to Coalhouse Walker, Jr., other immigrant groups are able to make good on the American dream. Tateh becomes a film director, for example, and the Jewish Harry Houdini also makes good in the entertainment industry. But for all of the talent and the 'need' for Black art, Blacks themselves are marginalized.