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Capital Campus Library

Capital Black Music Appreciation Month

Famous African American Musicians and Composers

This is a partial list of African American Musicians and composers. Also included are musical groups.  To locate biographical information on the following persons, use one of the library's biography databases or Grove Music Online, located on the library database page. To Access Information Off Campus, Please Enter Your Banner ID and Password.

  • Marian Anderson
  • Louis Armstrong
  • Etta Baker
  • Chuck Berry
  • George Benson
  • Beyonce
  • James Brown
  • Charlie Byrd
  • Ray Charles
  • Nat "King" Cole
  • John Coltrane
  • Sam Cooke
  • Miles Davis
  • Bo Diddley
  • Fats Domino
  • Duke Ellington
  • Ella Fitzgerald
  • Aretha Franklin
  • Marvin Gaye
  • Dizzy Glilespie
  • Al Green
  • Buddy Guy
  • W.C. Handy
  • Jimi Hendrix
  • Billie Holiday
  • Lena Horne
  • Whitney Houston
  • Janet Jackson
  • Michael Jackson
  • Etta James
  • Rick James
  • Blind Willie Johnson
  • Robert Johnson
  • Scott Joplin
  • B.B King
  • Gladys Knight and the Pips
  • Earl Klugh
  • Lenny Kravitz
  • Mahalia Jackson
  • Little Richard
  • Wynton Marsalis
  • Curtis Mayfield
  • Brian McKnight
  • Thelonious Monk
  • Wes Montgomery
  • Muddy Waters
  • Odetta
  • Charlie Parker
  • Prince
  • Otis Redding
  • Smokey Robinson
  • Niles Rodgers
  • Tupac Shakur
  • Nina Simone
  • Bessie Smith
  • Donna Summer
  • Sister Rosetta Tharpe
  • Tina Turner
  • Dionne Warwick
  • Dinah Washington
  • Kanye West
  • Barry White
  • Jackie Wilson
  • Bill Withers
  • Bobby Womack
  • Stevie Wonder
  • Jay-Z

Musical Groups

  • Ashford and Simpson
  • Booker T. and the M.G.s
  • Boyz II Men
  • Brothers Johnson
  • The Chiffons
  • The Chi-Lites
  • Chic
  • The Commodores
  • The Crystals
  • The Drifters
  • Earth, Wind and Fire
  • The Flamingos
  • The Fifth Dimension
  • Gladys Knight and the Pips
  • The Isley Brothers
  • The Jackson 5
  • The Four Tops
  • The Gap Band
  • Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
  • The Marvelettes
  • The Pointer Sisters
  • Public Enemy
  • The Spinners
  • The Stylistics
  • The Staple Singers
  • Salt n Pepa
  • The Shirells
  • Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
  • The Supremes
  • The Temptations
  • Sly and the Family Stone
  • Staple Singers
  • Ike and Tina Turner

Introduction

Here is your guide to Black Music Appreciation Month at the Arthur C. Banks Library at Capital Community College. Notice the tabs along the side of the screen; select the one that best matches your informational need.

Aretha Franklin

Black and white photo of a young Aretha Franklin. She is wearing a fancy dress, has a bracelet and ring, and is looking at the camera.

The United States has been celebrating African-American Music Appreciation Month in June since 1979. The month of June is set aside to appreciate the contributions of African-American musicians, composers, singers, and songwriters in American culture. The month honors the history and rich African traditions that gave birth to different styles of music such as rap, hip-hop, jazz, rhythm and blues, barbershop, and swing. It is also the month to celebrate creative inspiration and appreciate the impact that African-American music has had on generations of performers and music lovers! From tales of slavery and racism and fighting for their basic human rights to finding their heritage and values in their lyrics, Black music covers a vast range of topics that have great significance for this community. Over the years, we have seen Black musicians reach great heights, not only on official music record charts but also at entertainment award ceremonies. While President Jimmy Carter designated June as Black Music Month in 1979, it wasn’t until 2000 when the presidential proclamation for the month was signed. President Barack Obama, in 2009, went on to rename the month from Black Music Month to its current name, African-American Music Appreciation Month. 

HISTORY OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN MUSIC APPRECIATION MONTH

First coming into existence in 1979 as Black Music Month, this month was meant to honor and celebrate Black artists’ contributions to music on U.S. soil. President Jimmy Carter wanted people to recognize how much of an impact Black music had, not only at home but also abroad, as people all over were adopting elements from it to express themselves. Moreover, the ’70s was fast becoming the decade in which Black music was gaining traction in signing music labels, with many business heads recognizing its commercial value. 

Although President Carter had assigned June as Black Music Month, he had not signed a special presidential proclamation that would have made it official. Dyana Williams, a renowned journalist and community activist, attempted to submit a petition to hold a Black Music Month event at the White House in 1998 during President Bill Clinton’s term. But she was soon informed that an event wouldn’t be possible due to the absence of a presidential proclamation. Yet, all was not lost — Williams lobbied for legislation with the help of Congressman Chaka Fattah and, thanks to their joint effort, two years later, June was officially declared as Black Music Month. 

In 2009, President Barack Obama renamed Black Music Month to African-American Music Appreciation Month. He also highlighted the importance of this month and the various genres in Black music.  This includes sacred music, which was one of the earliest African-American music forms in the U.S. that highlighted gospel themes and Black Christian values. Blues and R&B relayed ideas of the homeland and racial integration. Hip-hop, rap, and rock and roll quickly became popular overseas as they appealed to youngsters all over the world.

African-American music is not just music but an integral part of American history. As mentioned before, African-Americans musicians’ efforts gave birth to a number of newer genres of music like jazz and rap. Throughout the last century, these genres have redefined America’s cultural landscape. When people were struggling as a nation, the music brought an entire generation together. The music that emerged in the last few decades also became an important part of the Civil Rights Movement.  

The beats and sounds of these genres influenced rock, soul, gospel, swing, be-bop, boogie-woogie, and other genres of music. Famous rock bands like The Rolling Stones and The Beatles credit blues and jazz as major influences of their music. In fact, a lot of Elvis Presley’s songs were originally performed by Black artists. More recently, genres such as funk, Motown, and hip-hop have also been influenced by African-American performers who have introduced new dancing and singing styles to the genres. Throughout the month of June, music lovers gather together to celebrate African-American Music Appreciation Month. They celebrate the diversity, inclusivity, and the community’s impact in shaping cultural conversations in modern America.