Besided in the musical community, Ragtime affected America mostly in the social aspects the genre.

Although there was much racial tension in America at that time, there was a certain amount of respect given to the African- Americans at that time. In the beginning, Ragtime was viewed as a "negro music," and was relatively shunned by the middle and upper classes, not so much because of the color of skin, but because of the stereotype at the African-Americans were "sexual, sensual, and uninhibited" (The Enduring Vision 673). This feeling was emphasized by the release of the movie The Birth of a Nation and was shunned by the Victorian Moral Standard. But with the appearance of Joseph Lamb in the Ragtime spotlight, it was clear that Ragtime wasn't just for negroes anymore; Joseph Lamb was white. Ragtime had transformed itself into an American Legacy, and directly and indirectly influenced virtually all American music.

Something quite similar today is the appearance of rap. The origin of rap music came from African-Americans and it is, like Ragtime was, shunned. It also stereotypes African-Americans, not just by portraying them as sexual and sensual, but by portraying them as violent also. Rap is widely popular, though, among a newer, more open generation of Americans. Still, rap has negative connotations.

Music Influences

One word which seems almost synonomous with Ragtime is Jazz. Why? Ragtime is the forefather of jazz music. The syncopations and upbeat tunes have been passed down from Ragtime into Jazz. The only real difference with Jazz and Ragtime is that Ragtime is basically a piano; Jazz is played with a band.

In the same way, Jazz influenced the Blues, another musical genre of the 20th century. It seems that American music owes itself to the African-Americans, who have been essential to the developement of America's rich musical heritage.