Photo by Aaron Jie Yang
June is Black Music Month! This month we celebrate the lasting impact and legacy of Black people musicians and their Creativity in American Music, Culture, and History. from them head, heart, hand, The sound takes on a distinctly American art form that has never been heard or felt before.
Tracing the trajectory of the black American experience from slavery to segregation to civil rights to the present day, black music has always been an integral part of our American experience. From spirituals and gospel to blues, jazz and ragtime; from doo-wop and the origins of rock and roll and country music to funk and hip-hop, black music is American music.
Rooted in African rhythms and the lived experiences of African Americans, music plays a central role in self-expression, cultural preservation, and resilience in the African American community. Aretha Franklin, winner of the 1999 National Medal of Arts, reflects on the power of music: “It’s uplifting, inspiring, and strengthening.” As one of the most powerful forces in the world, music It has always been a tool for preserving and developing culture. Express Talk about humanity, tell stories, fuel Movement for justice, sustaining hope, nourishing souls.
The rich depth and soul of black music expresses our highest aspirations as a nation. Duke Ellington called jazz “a good barometer of freedom… This music is so free that many say it is the only unencumbered, unencumbered expression of complete freedom that has ever existed in this country.” This spirit Continue to move the country forward with the Black artists who have helped and continue to shape our culture.
For more than 40 years, the NEA has honored legendary musicians through: NEA Jazz Masters and National Heritage Fellow The scholarships are the nation’s highest honors in jazz and folk and traditional arts, respectively. Past Jazz Masters Scholarship recipients include Sun Ra (1982), Herbie Hancock (2004) and Dianne Reeves (2018), and past National Heritage Scholarship recipients include R&B artist Barbara Lynn (2018), soul singer-songwriter William Bell (2020), and Hill country blues guitarist and singer-songwriter Cedric Burnside (2021).
Represented by the harmonies of Beyonce, the soul of BB King, the melodies of Motown, and many others, black music at its best represents transcendent joy, exuberance, and artistry Express. NEA encourages you to learn about and pay tribute to the Black music and musicians who have contributed so much to our musical heritage this month and throughout the year.
