AFRICAN-AMERICAN MUSIC APPRECIATION MONTH
Since 1979, the United States has set aside the month of June to appreciate the musical contributions of its African-American musicians, composers, singers, and songwriters.
Inspired to celebrate an enduring art form, Kenny Gamble, Ed Wright, and Dyana Williams pursued creating Black Music Month. Their efforts were backed up by generations of artists whose talents and skill built a foundation of musical ingenuity in America.
Historically rooted in rich African traditions and the conflicted slave trade, black folk music provided the soil for jazz to grow. Other sounds began to join the chorus. From rhythm and blues to barbershop and swing, the artists responded to every era with a fresh wave of inspiration and visionary sound.
The music breaks barriers and moves people. It inspires generation after generation of artists and music lovers.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Immerse yourself in the music of your favorite black musicians. Discover new sounds and genres while revisiting long lost loves. Whether it’s classic jazz or smoky blues or some fast rhythms and rhyming raps, let the singers and songwriters speak to you. Share the best and the brightest and the undiscovered using #AfricanAmericanMusicAppreciationMonth and #AAMAM on social media.
HISTORY
On June 7, 1979, President Jimmy Carter decreed June to be Black Music Month. Each year since Americans have celebrated the iconic music loved by generations.
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