America's "March King," John Philip Sousa, used this silver-tipped baton to conduct his world-famous band. His stirring military marches, including "The Stars and Stripes Forever," expressed the nationalistic spirit of their times, but they have also gained an enduring appeal as part of the country's patriotic repertoire.
John Philip Sousa's Baton
- Description
- America's "March King," John Philip Sousa, used this silver-tipped baton to conduct his world-famous band. A masterful composer of music to get people moving, Sousa also popularized classical music, first as leader of the U.S. Marine Band and then touring with his own Sousa Band. His stirring military marches, including "The Stars and Stripes Forever," expressed the nationalistic spirit of their times, but they have also gained an enduring appeal as part of the country's patriotic repertoire.
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
- user
- Sousa, John Philip
- Credit Line
- Gift of John Philip Sousa III and Thomas A. Sousa
- Physical Description
- silver (overall material)
- wood (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 15 in x 1/2 in; 38.1 cm x 1.27 cm
- Object Name
- baton
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.