Scott Joplin Publishes 'Maple Leaf Rag'

Scott Joplin published 'Maple Leaf Rag' through Sedalia publisher John Stark in September 1899, and it became the first sheet music in history to sell one million copies. The contract gave Joplin a royalty on every copy — an unusual arrangement that provided financial security and recognized his authorship. The piece's success established ragtime as a national craze and cemented Joplin's status as the 'King of Ragtime.'