The month of June commemorates and celebrates African-American music.
African-American music helped shape American history, influencing everything from the Civil Rights movement to the music we hear today!
In the 1960s, Philadelphia natives, Dyana Williams and Kenny Gamble, lobbied the White House in order to have a full month dedicated to the legacy of African American music. Their efforts paid off when, in 1967, President Jimmy Carter set June as Black Music Month. In 2009, President Barack Obama officially renamed it African American Music Appreciation Month.
Classical, jazz, rock and roll and pop, all have deep roots in African American music history, and without that history, music as we know it wouldn’t exist.
Spotify has dedicated an entire playlist to African American Music Appreciation Month. Check it out and let us know what new songs or artists you’ll be adding to your music library!
For more information on Black History, preview our course ‘Juneteenth and African American History‘ conducted by Diversity Crew Partner, Dr. Froswa Booker-Drew, or contact us today at LetsGo@DiversityCrew.com.
Source: Hoffman Academy
