Black Music in America: From Then till Now

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A documentary film with the title Black Music in America: From Then till Now. It consists of a single reel of color 16mm polyester film with optical sound. The documentary features clips of some of the most recognized Black artists of all-time. The film is bookended by clips of Nina Simone performing her song “To Be Young, Gifted, and Black.” From here the film tracks the history of Black music to Africa and the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, pointing to the influence of traditional African drumming and also indicating that slave masters encouraged singing and dancing within the confines of the middle passage slave ships. Additionally, the documentary features performance clips from Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, Billie Holiday, Sly and the Family Stone, and other musicians.

Explore Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture ↗