John Philip Sousa was born on November 6, 1854, in Washington, D.C.  Sousa enlisted in the Marine Corps on June 9, 1868, at the age of 13.  He served as an apprentice musician and learned to play all the instruments in the band.  He was both a band master and a composer.

He left the Corps in 1875 and quickly established himself as an outstanding conductor of various orchestras.  In 1880, the Corps selected Sousa, then 25 years old, to serve as the 17th Conductor, a position he held for twelve years (1880-1892).  During his tour as a director, Sousa served under five presidents:  Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Cleveland, and Harrison.  Sousa proved to be a demanding leader, but the improved quality of the band's performances was soon noticed, and demands for public concerts increased.

Sousa often thrilled the audiences by premiering new marches such as "The Washington Post," "Semper Fidelis," and "The Thunderer."  He composed 136 marches, 15 operattas, 11 suites, 70 songs, 4 overtures, and 322 arrangements.   Sousa resigned as the Marine Band Leader in 1892.