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Billboard Magazine Used to Refer to R&B Songs as “Race Records”
In the beginning of the record industry's history, music was primarily marketed toward middle and upper class white Americans. In the early 1900's, the United States wa…

This Choreographer Taught the Temptations and Other Motown Acts How to Dance
The Temptations is one of the most successful and important groups of Motown Records. The group was known for the sharp way they dressed, their harmonious voices, and their dan…

Aretha Franklin Was a Teen Mom at Age 13 — But She Still Became the Queen of Soul!
Aretha Franklin, also known as the Queen of Soul, is considered to be one of the greatest singers and musicians of all time. But beyond the shining fame, Franklin seemed to hav…

Meet Sister Rosetta Tharpe — The Black Woman Who Invented Rock and Roll Music!
Sister Rosetta Tharpe, famous in the 1930s for her upbeat electric guitar playing style, is the original godmother of rock and roll music. She was inducted in the Rock and Roll…

The Truth About Black People and Country Music — We Created It!
The global success of rapper Lil Nas X's hip hop country song "Old Town Road" should not be a surprise to anyone. According to The True Origins of Country Music , a…

5 Showstopping Musicals with Black Leading Roles
There is something so captivating about sinking into your seat at a theater and watching stories come to life on the stage before you. These five musicals with Black leading ro…

Striking a Chord: The History of Blues Music
The musical genre of the blues has been around for as long as any of us can remember, but - like anything else - it has its roots. The history of the blues traces back over a c…

4 Black Artists Whose Works Have Been in Museums
Since a picture is worth a thousand words, some might say that art is one of the greatest representations of history. Through art, African Americans have depicted their cultura…

A Stitch in Time: 4 Black Designers Who Made Fashion History
Ann Lowe designed Jackie Kennedy's wedding dress in 1953 Fashion designing is an art form that requires both passion and dedication. In order for the field to continue evo…

Selma Burke’s Portrait of President Franklin D. Roosevelt is What You See on the U.S. Dime!
Selma Burke (born December 31, 1900) was an American sculptor and educator who is best known for her sculpture of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, which can be seen on the U.S.…

That Time Tom Joyner Interviewed Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye is an American musical legend, responsible for some of the most iconic Motown hits of all time. His songs live on to this day as all-time classics, still beloved by t…

Harry Belafonte Was the First Recording Artist to Reach More Than One Million in LP Sales
Born March 1, 1927 in Harlem, Harry Belafonte is one of the best known African American actors, activists and singers in the U.S. His unique take on Caribbean folk music thrill…

9 Reasons Why MC Lyte Is Still Relevant and Is Especially Loved by Black Women
MC Lyte first gained prominence as a rapper in the 1980's with the release of her album, Lyte as a Rock, in 1988. She was born on October 11, 1970, in Brooklyn, NY, and at …

Beethoven, the Most Famous Classical Musician of All Time, Was... a Black Man!
Ludwig Van Beethoven is arguably the most famous and well known classical musician and composer in all of history, but his true identity and ethnicity has been a falsehood and …