Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Guide to Black History: Motown
Information on the popular style of music called Motown that developed from a recording company of the same name.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: America in Class: America in the 1920s: Divisions: Black & White
The National Humanities Center presents collections of primary resources compatible with the Common Core State Standards - historical documents, literary texts, and works of art - thematically organized with notes and discussion...
Library of Congress
Loc: African American Sheet Music, 1850 1920
View 1,300 pieces of sheet music composed by and about African Americans between 1850-1920.
Contemplator
Folk Music of England, Scotland,ireland, Wales & America
Fine comprehensive intro to folk music of English-speaking countries. Lyrics, background and midi files make this a useful site.
Nederlander Organization
Broadway Direct: 20 Benchmark Musicals in Broadway History
The history of Broadway musical theater is demonstrated through brief examinations of twenty groundbreaking musicals, from The Black Crook in 1866 to Hamilton in 2015. Nine videos accompany the descriptions of some of the musicals.
Duke University
Shuffle Along Orchestra
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.
Other
Old Time Victrola Music: Blackface Minstrel Music
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.
Black Past
Black Past: Cooke, Sam (1931 1964)
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.
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.
Smithsonian Institution
Anacostia Museum: The Renaissance: Black Art of the Twenties
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.
Black Past
Black Past: Joplin, Scott
This is a brief encyclopedia biography of the ragtime composer, Scott Joplin, whose music was influential in the growth of jazz.
Yale University
Yale New Haven Teachers Institute: Black Emancipators of the 19th Century
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...
BBC
Bbc: Russia Plane Crash: Huge Search for Bodies in Black Sea
A huge search is conducted in Russia after a military plane with 92 people crashed into the Black Sea.
Black Past
Black Past: Public Enemy
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.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Guide to Black History: Jack the Rapper
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...
PBS
Pbs: Music, Slavery and the Civil War
This lesson plan could serve as the basis of a curriculum unit on slavery and/or the Civil War. Spirituals are analyzed, especially their cultural implications.
Black Past
Black Past: Jackson, Mahalia
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.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: The Isley Brothers
Originally from Cincinnati, The Isley Brothers had their breakthrough hit in 1962 with "Shout". Over the years, the group consisted of various family members and in 1969 won a Grammy for "It's Your Thing". They remain one of the most...
Stanford University
Riverwalk Jazz: Speakeasies, Flappers, and Red Hot Jazz: Music of Prohibition
Script of a radio broadcast about Prohibition and Jazz Age America comments on black market bootlegging, jazz music, speakeasies, flappers, and women`s suffrage.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Guide to Black History: Berry Gordy, Jr.
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...
Musicals 101
Musicals 101: Early u.s. Musicals
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.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Guide to Black History: Taj Mahal
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...
Yale University
Yale New Haven Teachers Institute: A Guide Through the Culture of the Blues
An extraordinary curriculum unit to teach blues and all its cultural implications.
Blackdog Media
Classic Reader: "Two Hearts That Beat as One" by Frank Norris
"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.
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