Stephen Foster Memorial Day

Held on : 13th January

Stephen Collins Foster (July 4, 1826 – January 13, 1864), known as the "Father of American music," was the pre-eminent songwriter  in the United States of the 19th century. His songs, such as "Oh! Susanna", "Camptown Races", "Old Folks at Home" ("Swanee River"), "Hard Times Come Again No More", "My Old Kentucky Home", "Old Black Joe", and "Beautiful Dreamer", remain popular over 150 years after their composition. Stephen Foster Memorial Day is basically a United States Federal Observance Day observed on January 13. According to 36 U.S.C. § 140, Steven Foster Memorial Day celebrates the life of American songwriter Stephen Foster "with appropriate ceremonies, pilgrimages to his shrines, and musical programs featuring his compositions." The date commemorates date that Foster died.

History - Stephen Foster was born in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania, on July 4, 1826. He received his early musical training from German immigrant Henry Kleber and became one of the most famous musical composers in the United States. Foster attempted to make a living as a professional songwriter and was innovative in this respect, since this field did not yet exist in the modern sense. Due in part to the limited scope of music copyright  and composer royalties at the time, Foster realized very little of the profits which his works generated for sheet music printers. Multiple publishers often printed their own competing editions of Foster's tunes, not paying Foster anything. For "Oh, Susanna", he received $100.  Much of his work celebrates the African American portion of the population at a time when slavery was an important and controversial issue.

His most popular songs included:

• Oh! Susanna (or O Susanna by some texts).
• Laura Lee.
• My Old Kentucky Home.
• Old Folks at Home, which is Florida’s state song with revised lyrics. The original was The Swanee River (Old Folks at Home).

Foster also composed instrumental music, including the Social Orchestra, a collection of 73 arrangements for flute, piano, violin and other instruments. He was not well known to the public during his lifetime as he did not perform music professionally. He composed more than 200 works in his lifetime. Stephen Foster died in New York City on January 13, 1864. One of his best loved works, Beautiful Dreamer, was published shortly after his death. Stephen Foster Memorial Day was first officially observed on January 13, 1952, after President Harry Truman dedicated January 13 as the day to remember Foster through a proclamation in October 1951. Stephen Foster was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.

Events - The United States president may issue an annual proclamation calling on people in the country to observe Stephen Foster Memorial Day with appropriate ceremonies, pilgrimages to Stephen Foster’s shrines and musical programs featuring his compositions.

1. Events for the day may be organized at places that pay tribute to Stephen Foster, such as the Stephen Foster Culture Centre State Park in Florida.
2. Some schools provide music and history lessons that focus on Stephen Foster’s life and works around this date.
3. Many music appreciation societies and organizations dedicated to the songwriter, such as the Stephen Foster Citizen Support Organization, also pay tribute to Stephen Foster.

Holiday Status - It is not a public holiday.