June is African American Music Appreciation Month!

Initiated by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, the month of June celebrates the African American musical influences that comprise an essential part of our nation’s treasured cultural heritage.

The music of African Americans can be traced back to the days of slavery, when slaves working in the fields would sing songs to pass the time and to share their life stories. African American music encompasses the following genres:

Sacred music: Spirituals and gospel music were the earliest form of black musical expression in America.

African American folk music: These songs serve as an expression of social commentary.

The Blues: With a diversity as varied as the geographical locations from which it rose, the blues features uniquely identifiable sounds and messages, depending on the region where it originated. B.B. King, Ma Rainey, and Muddy Waters are recognizable blues names; one of my favorite artists is Robert Cray.

Military music: African Americans were part of fife and drum corps in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, and they played in military bands during World War I and II.

Jazz: Evolved from ragtime, jazz first appeared on the scene in New Orleans and is often characterized by African American musical innovation. This is my favorite type of music: From the moment I heard Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Ella Fitzgerald, I was hooked!

Rhythm and Blues: Developed after World War II and used to help spread African American culture, this stylistically-diverse genre combines elements of pop, gospel, blues and jazz with a strong back beat. Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye and Aretha Franklin are just a few of the artists who sing in this style.

And let us not forget the more recent genres of rock and roll—which incorporates elements from all African American music genres and combines them with components of American pop and country music—as well as hip-hop and rap (musical traditions that are firmly embedded in African American culture.

The Mercer County Library System has a wealth of material about African American music, including print books, eBooks, electronic resources, DVDs and music CDs. Here are just a few of our offerings: