8. Scott Joplin Had Syphilis
Scott Joplin, the “king of ragtime,” was a composer who specialized in the jazz-like form that is characterized by syncopation, complex bass lines, and seemingly awkward stop times. He lived from 1867 until 1917, a time when African Americans were being treated particularly harshly and was able to make his name among both black and white musicians and music lovers. Scott Joplin grew up in Texas and began his career as a big-name performer when he played at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, while he was studying music in Missouri. He moved to New York in 1907, where he continued to write and publish music. Many of his compositions, like “Maple Leaf Rag” and “The Entertainer,” are still performed and enjoyed today.
In 1916, a year before he died, Joplin suffered from a condition known as dementia paralytica, a severe disease in which both his mental and physical faculties completely broke down. In fits of mania and rage, he destroyed many of his manuscripts and became unable to care for himself at all. He went on to be institutionalized, but doctors were overwhelmed by the number of patients in their care and lacked the resources necessary to help them. Joplin died shortly thereafter. By the time he became ill, he had probably been suffering from syphilis for 20 years.