STEPHEN FOSTER MEMORIAL DAY – January 13
Fri Jan 13th

Stephen Foster Memorial Day

On January 13th, Stephen Foster Memorial Day commemorates the music of the man who composed hundreds of America's first popular songs.

Stephen Foster, a native of Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania, was born as America's First Composer on July 4, 1826. Today, His catchy tunes based on minstrel songs are still popular.

When Foster's exclusive music deal with Firth, Pond, and Company came to an end, he died at the age of 37. Although his albums were extremely popular, the lack of copyright protection and alcoholism left him with nothing of value to show for his efforts.

***During his short life, Foster wrote over 200 songs. His best-known compositions include "Oh! Susanna," "Camptown Races," "Old Folks at Home," "My Old Kentucky Home," "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair," "Old Black Joe," and "Beautiful Dreamer" and are still very popular today.

Foster died on January 13, 1864, at the age of 37.

#stephenfostermemorialday is a holiday that comes in the United States. Here's how to celebrate #stephenfostermemorialday

Read about Stephen Foster's life or watch a documentary. Listen to a sample of his music. You may be surprised to learn how familiar some of it is. How many of them do you actually know? Check out our recommendations below.

  • Ken Emerson's Doo-dah!
  • Ellen Hunter Ulken's The Life of Stephen Collins Foster Stephen Collins Foster The Life of Stephen Collins Foster Stephen Collins Foster
  • Stephen Foster's music has a African American influence on his music, according to this article

To post on social media, use the hashtag #StephenFosterMemorialDay.

The stephen foster memorial day celebrations have a long tradition in the United States

On October 27, 1951, the observance of Stephen Foster Memorial Day and President Harry S. Truman declared a joint resolution designating January 13th Stephen Foster Memorial Day and President Harry S. Truman declared the observance on Sunday, January 13, 1952.

Stephen foster FAQ

Are Stephen Foster's songs in the public domain? Q. Is Stephen Foster's songs in the public domain?

A. Yes. Yes. Yes. Foster sold the rights to his songs in 1857 to his publishers, but today, Foster's songs can be performed, recorded, or published without permission. Foster sold the rights to his songs to his publishers in 1857.

Q. Was Stephen Foster inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame?

A. Yes. Yes. Yes. Stephen Foster was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.

What was Stephen Foster's last song? Two weeks before his death, A. Stephen Foster wrote "Beautiful Dreamer" on his website..