June is African American Music Appreciation Month

DO YOU REMEMBER CHUCK D?

June is African American Music Appreciation Month.

Created by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, this month celebrates the African American musical influences that comprise an essential part of our nation’s treasured cultural heritage, it was formerly called National Black Music Month. Major genres of African American music are:

Sacred Music (Gospel), Folk Music, Blues, Jazz, Rhythm and Blues, Rock and Roll, Hip Hop, and Rap.

“In addition to these genres mentioned above African American musicians and artists have also developed and influenced (names in parentheses are examples placed by me) classical (Wynton Marsalis), C&W (Charlie Pride, J-Lo), Pop music, (Michael Jackson), dance music, ballet, disco, techno and house.” quoted from the National Museum of African American History and Culture, part of the Smithsonian.

Here’s a personal list of a few female musicians from genres listed above, readers might enjoy: Nina Simone, Mahalia Jackson, Ella Fitzgerald, the Georgia Freedom Singers, the Staple Singers, Shirley Cleveland, Sweet Emma Barrett, Big Mama Thornton, Irma Thomas, Vivian Greene, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Tina Turner, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

‘Oh Freedom’ is an African American spiritual that was commonly sung as a part of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

It was made popular by human rights activist and singer Odetta.

‘Oh freedom! Oh freedom! Oh freedom over me!

(chorus) And before I’d be a slave, I’ll be buried in my grave and go home to my Lord and be free.’

No more moanin, no more moanin, (repeat chorus)

There’ll be singin, there’ll be singin, (repeat chorus)

There’ll be shoutin, there’ll be shoutin, (repeat chorus)

(repeat Oh Freedom, Oh Freedom… the first line and chorus)’.

The history of African American music is rich and varied.

It is very much alive and vibrant. It’s a billion-dollar business.

Youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman read a powerful poem at the Biden inauguration in 2021. Today, 06/26/24, President Biden named rapper Chuck D as a U.S. Music Ambassador. Chuck D says he learned from Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, and Bobbie Womack.

Next week look for a villanelle about hip hop and Spoonie Gee.

Joey aka “Pepe Batbon” Connolly is a retired educator who taught in the CNMI, NOLA, and LVNV. He is the Poet Laureate of Tinian and enjoys stargazing.