National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Teacher Serve: Jazz and the African American Literary Tradition
Article explores the influence of jazz on African American literature from the early history of jazz, noted jazz artists, the black-white tensions within jazz, to its literary influence after World War II.
Library of Congress
Loc: Family Customs Past and Present: Exploring Cultural Rituals
Photos, documents, music, and stories help students deepen their understanding of the rituals and customs of various cultures throughout American history.
Other
Black Gospel Music: The History of Gospel Music
This site explores the history of Gospel music, including how gospel music began and some of the various incarnations it has gone through.
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Comission
Explore Pa History: Billy Eckstine
Learn of the historical contributions of jazz musician, band leader, and Pennsylvania native, Billy Eckstine in this succinct biography.
Other
Usps: Ella Fitzgerald: First Lady of Song
Celebrate Black Heritage Month by studying this extraordinary vocalist who transcended a troubled childhood to become an American treasure. Create a musical timeline of the noteworthy events in Ella's life. Explore her sensational lyrics...
John F. Kennedy Center
The Kennedy Center: Lift Every Voice and Sing
Explore and analyze "Lift Every Voice and Sing" , a poem by James Weldon Johnson, which was set to music and is considered the "Black National Anthem."
Emory University
Emory University: Odyssey Online
Odyssey Online is a resource for both students and teachers as they explore world mythology in reading, writing, history, and art classes. Providing sections on Near Eastern, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and African mythology, Odyssey uses...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of American History: Documents Gallery: Ellington and Strayhorn
Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, two of the greatest jazz composers, collaborated on hundreds of works. As you explore this exhibition, you will have an opportunity to view original music scores, listen to audio clips, and view videos...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Primary Source Set: Women and the Blues
This collection uses primary sources to explore the impact of women blues performers.
PBS
Pbs: Identity, Oppression, and Protest
This lesson plan supplements a study of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. The lesson is designed to help students understand the impact of Jim Crow Laws and their impact of oppression on African Americans. Blues music is shared to help...
Yale University
Yale New Haven Teachers Institute: Influence of Folk
This site, which explores the influence of musical folk traditions in the poetry of Langston Hughes and Nicolas Guillen, provides lesson plans, a biography, examples of Hughes' poetry, and details about his meeting with Nicolas Guillen.
Other
Saudi Aramco World: Muslim Roots, u.s. Blues
This site explores the link between Muslim traditions and American blues music. Using audio content, pictures, text, and the song ?Levee Camp Holler,? this site examines African Muslim history tied to the history of U.S. Blues.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Sti Lesson 2: Langston Hughes and the Blues
Explore relationship between music and poetry in this African-American history lesson on Langston Hughes, the Harlem Renaissance, and other artists such as Bessie Smith, John Hammond, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones.
Georgia Humanities Council and the University of Georgia Press.
New Georgia Encyclopedia: Gladys Knight (B. 1944)
Explore the life and career of Motown's leading lady of soul, Gladys Knight. Along with the family music group "the Pips", she had numerous hits that reached the top of R&B and pop music charts.
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Duke Ellington
Explore the fascinating life of a founding father of jazz music. Duke Ellington (1899-1974 CE) was a gifted musician and composer from an early age. This website provides you with a detailed account of his life and his accomplishments.
ibiblio
Ibiblio: John Henry: The Steel Driving Man
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...