Black Awareness through Music.

When We Talk About Black History We Must Include Music.

Black music is recognized nationally once a year during the month of June, but since the celebration began, the material that's include in that category has evolved far beyond its foundation—and necessarily so.

“Black Music Is All Music”

In recent years, Black music had come to be viewed in a very limited scope with rap, R&B, soul, and hip-hop defining the sound. Music journalist J’na Jefferson is among those who have worked to uncover the Black artists at the genesis of various classes of music.

Black music has been a powerful medium for expressing the Black experience, resilience, and the fight against racial injustice. Here are some notable songs that embody and support the Black Lives Matter movement:

Usher - “I Cry”: In this BLM-inspired piano ballad, Usher lets his emotions flow. The song aims to teach his sons that it’s “OK for a man to feel emotions deeply and to cry.” All proceeds from “I Cry” benefit the Local Initiatives Support Corporation.

Beyoncé - “Black Parade”: Released on Juneteenth, Queen Bey celebrates the beauty of Blackness on this triumphant track. “Black Parade” serves as a reminder to amplify Black voices and support Black-owned businesses.

Lil Baby - “The Bigger Picture”: Lil Baby shares a haunting yet hopeful perspective on this song. It offers a window into the trauma of dealing with racism and brutality on a daily basis. The thought-provoking music video includes footage from nationwide BLM protests.

H.E.R. - “I Can’t Breathe”: H.E.R. delivers an emotive take on the police killings of unarmed Black men and women. The bluesy track highlights the importance of intersectionality within activism.

These songs, along with many others, continue to shape the narrative and inspire change. Black music has a rich history of reflecting urban environments, social concerns, and cultural pride, resonating across racial divides. Let us continue to listen, learn, and stand together in the fight for justice and equality.

What other genres of music have been influenced by Black culture?

Black music has profoundly shaped American culture and the global music landscape. From early American genres to contemporary hits, Black musicians have left an indelible mark. Here are some genres influenced by Black culture:

Gospel Music: Mahalia Jackson, known as the “Queen of Gospel,” played a pivotal role in gospel music’s development.

The Blues: Sister Rosetta Tharpe, a godmother of rock ‘n’ roll, contributed to the blues genre.

Jazz: Buddy Bolden, often credited with “inventing jazz,” revolutionized music with his improvisational style.

Rhythm and Blues (R&B): Icons like Tina Turner and Ike Turner made significant contributions to R&B.

Rock and Roll: Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s influence extended to rock ‘n’ roll, shaping its early sound.

Country Music: DeFord Bailey, the first Black performer on the Grand Ole Opry, left an indelible mark on country music.

Hip-Hop and Rap: These genres, born from Black culture, serve as protest music and reflect the Black experience.

Remember, every genre born in America has Black roots, from rock ‘n’ roll to blues to disco. Black creators have left their fingerprints all over American music, making it uniquely rich and diverse.

“Since the mainstream doesn’t always recognize Black artists, save for a few who have cross-cultural success, it’s important for our community to collectively celebrate these acts because they’re important to us—sometimes to only us,” she points out.

“Since so many aspects of our culture have been co-opted, it’s important to honor the things, the people, the music that we hold most sacred and that we call our own.”

Expounding on the way in which music is a thread in Black history, Tammy Kernodle, Ph.D., distinguished professor of Musicology at Miami University, notes how African-American music shapes aspects of society across the world.

“Black music is the cultural foundation of most of our current global popular culture,” says Kernodle who is also president of the Society for American Music. “If you watch The Voice, America’s Got Talent, or any of the music-based television shows we hear people not only singing repertory that derived out of the Black experience, but they are also vocally mirroring practices that developed out of the ways in which Black folks make sound. More importantly, we can trace a type of musical genealogy based on the sounds produced,” she continues.

"An example of that, Kernodle points out, is how the influence of Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye can be recognized in contemporary artists like Usher or Anderson.Paak “One will hear a lot of the vocal dexterity and extension of range that marked the music of Luther Vandross, Karen Clark-Sheard, Vanessa Bell Armstrong or Yolanda Adams. We hear the type of vocal crooning of Janet Jackson or Michael Jackson; the nuanced, jazz-inspired style of Anita Baker.”

And it’s not just pop culture programming that has taken advantage of these unique rhythms and sounds, Kernodle adds, noting Black music has had a particularly large impact in the engineering space over the past 50 years. “You see and hear us and our spirit of innovation and creativity everywhere.”

“There Is no one Sound” to Black Music

Not only is it important that African-American music be celebrated more than once a year, it’s also key that the term “Black music” not limit the various mediums and movements which we have created and contribute to, emphasizes Yvette Janine Jackson, Ph.D., who currently serves as assistant professor of Creative Practice and Critical Inquiry at Harvard University.

“There is no one sound; [Black music is] music created by any Black person,” Jackson explains. “There have been and continue to be Black composers and creators engaged in orchestral music, experimental electronic and concert music, improvisation, performance art, theatre, film scores, game music, HBCU marching bands, etcetera.”

Music is also far more than entertainment, Jackson adds, explaining how singing and melodies mark various life milestones, including celebrations, rituals and occasions of mourning. Music also enhances rudimentary activities and serves as an emotional trigger, often dredging up feelings of nostalgia connected to our childhoods.

“It’s used to express the conditions of our experiences as Black people, including to educate and unify people in the fight against racism and other injustices,” she explains.

Most important, Black music and its influence are not new, despite what may feel like a newfound interest in experiencing—and exploiting—it.

“There’s a long list of Black musical influences that have shaped music into what it is today starting with the first Africans who were brought here and the songs of their children and their children’s children and so on,” Jackson says. “Music is a document of our lives throughout different points in history.”