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Other

Black History Canada : The Arts

For Students 9th - 10th
An informative look at the influence of African music in Canada.
Handout
Duke University

Shuffle Along Orchestra

For Students 9th - 10th
This section focuses on the people created the hit musical, "Shuffle Along," which helped to spur the Harlem Renaissance. Other information on the site about the importance of other black theater during the period.
Article
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: The Tech: Five Moe's Amuses With Laughs, Crowd Interaction

For Students 9th - 10th
This site reviews the 1993 production of "Five Guys Named Moe" at Boston's Wilbur Theater. It gives a good summary of the musical, as well as a critique of that production.
Website
Other

African Genesis: Black Gospel Music

For Students 9th - 10th
This Black Gospel Music site provides information on the history, artists, and spirituality of black gospel music.
Website
Indiana University

Archives of African American Music and Culture

For Students 9th - 10th
Contains resources on black culture and music from the early 1900s to the present.
Website
Other

Old Time Victrola Music: Blackface Minstrel Music

For Students 9th - 10th
This website from Old Time Victrola Music, which sells victrola recordings of minstrel music from 1918, provides samples of several minstrel songs in Real Audio format.
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Other

Gospel Music Soloist

For Students 9th - 10th
This site contains a brief look at the Black gospel soloist Rosetta Tharpe. This site also includes several other articles on early black gospel soloists and groups.
Handout
Black Past

Black Past: Cooke, Sam (1931 1964)

For Students 9th - 10th
Sam Cooke's influence on music, as the pioneer in cross-over from gospel to rhythm and blues, is described in this encyclopedia entry. His music was important to the African-American identity in the Civil Rights movement.
Website
Other

Black Gospel Music: The History of Gospel Music

For Students 9th - 10th
This site explores the history of Gospel music, including how gospel music began and some of the various incarnations it has gone through.
Activity
Smithsonian Institution

Anacostia Museum: The Renaissance: Black Art of the Twenties

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides an informative description of the "Black Arts of the Twenties," which was better known as the Harlem Renaissance. Learn about the culture, art, music, and writings of this period.
Handout
Black Past

Black Past: Joplin, Scott

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a brief encyclopedia biography of the ragtime composer, Scott Joplin, whose music was influential in the growth of jazz.
Lesson Plan
Yale University

Yale New Haven Teachers Institute: Black Emancipators of the 19th Century

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A lesson unit on the people and movements that fought to abolish slavery. Looks at the Triangular Trade, and at the Underground Railroad and famous abolitionists. Includes a play about emancipation, a black history rap and a trivia quiz...
Article
BBC

Bbc: Russia Plane Crash: Huge Search for Bodies in Black Sea

For Students 9th - 10th
A huge search is conducted in Russia after a military plane with 92 people crashed into the Black Sea.
Handout
Black Past

Black Past: Public Enemy

For Students 9th - 10th
In this encyclopedia entry, you read about the rap group, Public Enemy, their songs, and the evolution of their message. There is a link to a website for more information.
Website
Contemplator

Folk Music of England, Scotland,ireland, Wales & America

For Students 9th - 10th
Fine comprehensive intro to folk music of English-speaking countries. Lyrics, background and midi files make this a useful site.
Handout
Encyclopedia Britannica

Encyclopedia Britannica: Guide to Black History: Jack the Rapper

For Students 9th - 10th
Jack the Rapper (Jack Gibson) helped open the first African-American-owned radio station in the United States, WERD in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1949. Gibson learned about radio while working as a gofer for deejay Al Benson in Chicago. He...
Activity
Stanford University

Riverwalk Jazz: Speakeasies, Flappers, and Red Hot Jazz: Music of Prohibition

For Students 9th - 10th
Script of a radio broadcast about Prohibition and Jazz Age America comments on black market bootlegging, jazz music, speakeasies, flappers, and women`s suffrage.
Handout
Encyclopedia Britannica

Encyclopedia Britannica: Guide to Black History: Berry Gordy, Jr.

For Students 9th - 10th
This entry from Encyclopedia Brittanica's Guide to Black History features Berry Gordy, Jr., an American businessman, founder of the Motown Record Corporation (1959), which became the most successful black-owned music company in the...
Article
Musicals 101

Musicals 101: Early u.s. Musicals

For Students 9th - 10th
Scroll down a bit to read about the first identifiably American Musical, "The Black Crook." The bare legs of the dancers link it to what became the burlesque tradition.
Handout
Encyclopedia Britannica

Encyclopedia Britannica: Guide to Black History: Taj Mahal

For Students 9th - 10th
This entry from Encyclopedia Brittanica's Guide to Black History features Taj Mahal, an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, and one of the pioneers of what came to be called world music. He combined blues and other African-American...
eBook
Blackdog Media

Classic Reader: "Two Hearts That Beat as One" by Frank Norris

For Students 9th - 10th
"Two Hearts that Beat as One" is the first of four in the collection about the Three Black Crowes by Frank Norris. Read the full text on this site.
Lesson Plan
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Sti Lesson 47: Get Up, Stand Up

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This activity uses music from three different areas of the world and three different time periods in the 20th century to address the issue of civil rights for black populations.
Handout
PBS

Classics for Kids: William Grant Still

For Students 3rd - 8th
A short biography of William Grant Still (1895-1978 CE). Click to the past radio shows to hear his music and learn more about this famous composer.
Website
Other

Africlassical: Black History and Classical Music

For Students 9th - 10th
Africlassical profiles musicians and composers of African descent since the time of Mozart.

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