What We Offer

“As a university professor, I wanted to bring merit to the study of African American music, earlier described by music critics and scholars as “trashy,” “decadent,” and “meritless,” and historically relegated to the fringes of mainstream musical venues and academic spaces (Carnegie Hall was an exception, featuring a “Concert of Negro Music” in 1912 and hosting “From Spirituals to Swing” concert presented by John Hammond in 1938 and 1939). I created the initial version of the Evolution of African American Music as a chart in 1980 while teaching a survey class on the topic at Indiana University to illustrate the scope and diversity of African American music and its influence defining an American music identity.” I updated the chart in 1992 while preparing to teach for the Schools Programs Summer Teacher Institute offered by the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture (NY)."