Marian Anderson
Marian Anderson Marian Anderson defined resilience and historical advancements by pursuing her musical passions without hesitation. Anderson transformed the question of “When will we listen to black women?” into the statement, “The world will listen to black women”. She uplifted other musicians and composers by including them in her public performances, providing access for black […]
She’s A Dancin’ Machine! – A Disco Review
She’s A Dancin’ Machine! – A Disco Review Disco is a musical genre that emerged in underground dance venues in New York City in the 1970s. It was pioneered by disc jockeys (DJs) who initially entertained primarily Africna American, Latino, and gay dancers. The roots of disco can be located at the intersection between underground […]
Beep Beep Boop Techno Beep Beep
Techno … The Tech to Know Techno music is often referred to as Detroit Techno due to it being originated in Detroit in the early 1980s. It can be defined as electronic music credited by Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson, and Derrick May from Detroit, Belleville. Although it originated in Detroit in the 1980s it became […]
And All That Jazz!
And All That Jazz! Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African American communities of New Orleans, United States. Beginning in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Jazz developed its roots from genres such as blues and ragtime. Charles Joseph “Buddy” Bolden was an African American cornetist who was regarded by contemporaries as a […]
Hip Hop Concert – DaBaby
You Don’t Like DaBaby! You Crazy! DaBaby is a recently emerged artist from Charlotte, North Carolina. During Clark Atlanta University’s 2019 Homecoming, I attended their annual Hip Hop concert and had the opportunity to see him. Although multiple new emerging artists performed, I arrived only in time to see DaBaby perform. He performed a total […]
Changing the Dynamics of Music: Musical Theater
Changing The Dynamics of Music: Musical Theater African American musical theater relates to the historic musical theater of the African American community. This began prominently in New York City during the first half of the 20th Century. Musical theater was widely expressed during The Harlem Renaissance; in which it was a movement characterized by the […]
Some Gospel About Gospel
Some Gospel About Gospel The modern definition of gospel is the teaching or revelation of Christ. Although, within the African American community, gospel music can be defined as a form of euphoric, rhythmic, spiritual music rooted in the solo and responsive church singing of the African American South. It is correlation of the development […]
Ragtime: A Misunderstood Genre
Ragtime: The Unseen Genre Ragtime is a genre developed by African-Americans between 1896 and 1920 and was often understood as a syncopated instrumental music. Similar to folk music, ragtime is distinguished by its musicians who generally could not read or write music. These musicians were extremely talented and innovative in their own right, performing for […]
Blues
The Continuance of Black Resistance Through The Blues The creation of the blues was a continuance to the resistance carried in Jubilee Quartets. Although, African Americans were now taking the opportunity to further present themselves to the world, ridding themselves of ignorant stereotypes developed by White Americans. Blues gave blacks the opportunity to differentiate the […]
Negro Spirituals
The Legacy and Beauty in Spirituals As an extension of folk music, negro sprituals were based upon Christian values and mental freedom. The Great Awakening, a period in which many slaves converted to Christianity, connected African American slaves through religion while disassembling language barriers in slave communities and maintaining their African identity. Symbolic interactionism, the […]
Implications of Folk Music
Implications of Folk Music In 1865, folk music emitted a sense of hope, comfort, and faith, but was distinguished by its secular nature, storytelling, and depictions of protest. Passing songs throughout generations, African slaves generated a legacy for themselves and counteracted negative stereotypes established by white American communities. African musicians learned to build upon the […]
3 Is A Party, But Four Is A Quartet
A Bum Bum Bum Bum Bum Bum Jubileeeee! Although African American slaves did not have the means or resources to archive or document cultural traditions, they developed a non-material culture to be passed down to later generations. The concept of oral tradition as a non-material culture illustrates the legacy of secular music and creativity of […]
