Discover what the relationship is between poetry and the blues. This site features lesson plans and online resources.

This site provides information about Nat King Cole, as well as a timeline of his life. Nat King Cole was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Looks at the new morality that emerged in the 1920s. It changed the role of women and the perception of African Americans, the latter facilitated by the Harlem Renaissance and its impact on the music and dance of the Jazz Age. Also...

This encyclopedia article tells the high points of Mahalia Jackson's life. She was a world-renowned gospel singer whose influence was felt in the civil rights movement.

This encyclopedia entry gives a brief account of Thelonius Monk, jazz pianist, and his influence on the jazz scene.

This encyclopedia article gives a good overview of the life of Bert Williams, a black entertainer of the early 1900's who broke many color lines.

This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Louis Jordan, an American saxophonist-singer prominent in the 1940s and '50s who was a seminal figure in the development of both rhythm and blues and rock and roll. The bouncing, rhythmic...

This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica's Guide to Black History features the Soul Stirrers, an American gospel group who were one of the first male quintets and one of the most enduring male groups. Several singers emerged from the...

This entry features Bob Kaufman, an innovative African-American poet who became an important figure of the Beat movement.

Find two lesson plans developed for a PBS documentary about the Greensboro Four, whose sit-in at a whites-only Woolworth's lunch counter was a key event in the unfolding history of the civil rights movement. The lessons ask students to...

This site, which is provided for by the Library of Congress, is part of the African American Mosaic. It describes abolition and gives references to books about the topic.

Considered the "King Of Ragtime", Scott Joplin is introduced in this informative web page. Learn more about his background and his music.

An interactive synopsis, by "New York Times" art desk staff writer Ben Sisario, of a 2006 biography about Jimi Hendrix called "Room Full of Mirrors." Narrated in a slideshow format, the site highlights episodes of Hendrix's career and...

This ibiblio.org site deeply explores the truth behind the legend of John Henry. Content includes interviews with numerous scholars who take a look at how this legend may have been created. Scholars also analyze historical facts versus...

View the artwork for a U.S. postage stamp issued in 1998 to commemorate Mahalia Jackson, known as the "Queen of Gospel Music". With a short biographical passage.

This article includes information on the life and musical contributions of Scott Joplin, the composer who gave us such songs as "The Entertainer" and "The Maple Leaf Rag."

This resource features a brief biography about big band leader Duke Ellington. It includes some audio and video clips of his music.

A brief biographical sketch of Stevie Wonder, an African-American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, a child prodigy who developed into one of the most creative musical figures of the late 20th century.

Encyclopedia entry for a vocal group that popularized the doo-wop style of music.

This resource presents a brief biography about jazz pianist and composer Fats Waller. Also featured in this resource are a couple of audio clips of his music.

Jazz composer and pianist Eubie Blake is written about in this resource. It features a brief biography about his career and music.

Learn about the life of Ella Fitzgerald, from her childhood as an orphan to her rise as a successful jazz singer. Includes audio (requires RealPlayer).

A biography of Jessye Norman, a classical soprano opera singer. Includes a profile, videos, and a photo gallery.

This collection uses primary sources to explore the impact of women blues performers.