General overview of African American pop-culture in the mid 20th-century highlighting music, art, theater, and sports.

Art and music are very much related. In fact, the African culture often times designed fun looking instruments like the gong on this website. Includes directions on how to make your own gong.

Learn about and listen to jazz, blues, folk, and country musician Howard "Louie Bluie" Armstrong and his roots in America's musical past. "Sweet Old Song" tells the story of the music and art partnership between Armstrong and his...

An overview of how music has influenced history throughout time. Choose links from common questions to music resources.

Overview and definition of blues music that developed in the southern United States in the early nineteenth century. Performers from Georgia include Ray Charles, Ma Rainey, Little Richard, and the Allman Brothers.

A radio host talks about new music from West Africa. While profiling four popular artists, the substance in this site describes the flavor of the popular music.

The career of "The Godfather of soul," is highlighted in this biographical sketch from PBS. One of the greatest performers in the 20th century, James Brown influenced the direction of black cultural music and dance. View video clips of...

This resource focuses on the works of famous African-American author, Langston Hughes.

Red Hot Jazz outlines the origins of jazz, taking a look at the blend of cultures that existed in New Orleans at the turn of the century when jazz first emerged as a unique musical form. Includes links to additional information about...

Thehistorymakers.com features the stories of African Americans who have succeeded and made achievements in the areas of art, business, education, law, politics, science, religion, and sports. There is a great timeline of African American...

An online exhibit of representative art from the Harlem Renaissance.

If you are interested in the music for the Cakewalk, come check out the Jenkins' Orphanage Band. They played a mix of ragtime and march. Lots of cool photos.

This site has a lesson plan on Muddy Waters focused on the American Masters documentary about him. Parallels the Great Migration with the growth of the blues music movement in America. Click on Muddy's name to access a detailed biography...

A description of the African-American literary and musical boom known as the Harlem Renaissance after World War I and before World War II. Profiles some of the prominent figures involved in the movement.

Here, Vusi Mahlasela talks about music, its social impact, and his hopes for how we relate to each other in this challenging world. [6:29]

Learn of the historical contributions of jazz musician, band leader, and Pennsylvania native, Billy Eckstine in this succinct biography.

This eight-page tutorial on jazz answers several basic questions (what is jazz, how did it develop) and keeps the topic of the tutorial focused within the realm of the African American understanding of jazz and focusing on its impact on...

The Great Migration for African Americans began during World War I as blacks left the segregated south to find jobs in the north. Read about how segregation followed them into their northern neighborhoods. See also how the Harlem...

The Harlem Renaissance influenced not only African American culture in the Jazz Age, but all of American culture. Read about some of the shining stars of African American literature and music of the age.

This site offers information about Brazilian dance, scheduled events in dance, connection of professional and amateur dancers around the country, an extensive bibliography about dance, pictures, articles and essays and a very...

Come and trace the migration of the blues through the United States. This site features an in-depth look at the origins of the Blues throughout its development across the Deep South of the US and beyond.

Library of Congress provides materials from the WPA Collections, 1937-1942. Selections include narratives and songs from ethnic and cultural groups, including African Americans, Bahamian Americans, Cuban Americans, American Indians, and...

Looking for information on African Canadian culture, music, dance, film, literature and visual art? This website from Toronto's York University's Centre for the Study of Black Cultures in Canada provides a flood of valuable information....

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