With the death of B.B. King, “the blues has lost its king, and America has lost a legend,” President Barack Obama said in a letter read at the famed guitarist’s funeral on Saturday, May 30, in his hometown of Indianola, Mississippi. King, the son of sharecroppers, died on May 14 at the age of 89, leaving a rich legacy as an innovator and hard-working performer.
His history and the history of the blues are part of the great American music tradition we celebrate in June known as African-American Music Appreciation Month.
President Jimmy Carter first designated June as Black Music Month in a proclamation signed June 7, 1979, and Obama renamed it in 2009. On May 29, he proclaimed June 2015 as African-American Music Appreciation Month.
“When the tides of injustice and hardship have seemed too great, melodies of hope have given us strength, and in moments of joy, powerful songs speak to the audacity that fuels our dreams…,” the proclamation said. “This month, let us remember the essential role music plays in breaking the barriers of our time and guiding us toward a more inclusive and more equal tomorrow.”
The president said he was calling upon “public officials, educators, and all the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate activities and programs that raise awareness and foster appreciation of music that is composed, arranged, or performed by African Americans.”
For educators in search of materials to teach the history of black music or for people who just want to read more about it, DiverseBooks.net has many titles about the history of black music throughout the world, all available at significant discounts from their list price.
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