On June 9, 1983 in Sedalia, MO; the USPS honored Scott Joplin as the sixth addition to the Black Heritage series. Joplin was an African American composer and pianist, born near Texarkana, Texas, into the first post-slavery generation. He achieved fame for his unique ragtime compositions, and was dubbed the "King of Ragtime." During his brief career, Joplin wrote 44 original ragtime pieces, one ragtime ballet, and two operas. One of his first pieces, the Maple Leaf Rag, became ragtimes first and most influential hit, and remained so for a century. Scott Joplin was born between July 1867 and January 1868, and died on April 1, 1917 at the age of 49.