LibGuides: African American Music Appreciation Month: Multimedia Resources

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YouTube Channels

AAHIAH Video Series The African American History Is AMERICAN History (AAHIAH) Channel on YouTube is both a radio podcast and a video series. It's aimed at anyone curious about the "lesser-known" contributions, made by Black Americans throughout history. People like: Ida B. Wells, George Washington Lee, Effie Waller Smith, Samuel J. Battle, George Edwin Taylor, Major Charity Adams Earley, William Monroe Trotter, Ella Baker, and Mary Fields (aka Stagecoach Mary). AAHIAH episodes appeal to listeners of every race & age, from middle school to middle age.
Educational Videos for Students (Cartoons on Bullying, Leadership & More) Fresberg Cartoon is a fun facts channel examining history and more. With our series, you can find quick cartoons breaking the ice on multiple topics in a fun and humorous way.
National Museum of African American History & Culture NMAAHC The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. It was established by Act of Congress in 2003 following decades of efforts to promote and highlight the contributions of African Americans.
Reading Through History Reading Through History was set up by a group of western Oklahoma social studies teachers. Our purpose is to create meaningful content that combines the subjects of reading and history, thus promoting social studies through reading. Here on Youtube, we are slowly adding videos to document the history of the United States.

YouTube Videos

America's Musical Journey | Feature Film
The story of America's musical journey. A cross-country adventure through the musical heritage of America.
Black History Month-Black Musicians Who Changed Music
Black History Month-Black Musicians Who Changed Music- Joe Hemstock 67 videos 33,063 views Last updated on Feb 28, 2023
Black Music Month Educational Cartoons
Black Music Month Educational Cartoons
99 videos 20 views Updated 6 days ago
Top-Selling Black Musicians in Every Decade (From Bessie Smith to Beyonce) | History By the Decade
Black artists have been trailblazing in the American music industry since its inception. Count down the top-selling black musicians in every decade, from the Empress of Blues to Cardi B, in this episode of History By the Decade.(10:21 MIN.)
The Untold Origins of the Black & Blind Musician
There’s a long history of blind Black musicians in the US dating back to the 19th century, from Blind Tom to Ray Charles. Join recording artist Lachi and Professor Danielle Bainbridge to discuss the history on why blindness seems like a common thread among Black musicians. And how modern musicians have changed the narrative on disability in performance. (7;29 MIN.)

The Delta Blues, Exploring Clarksdale, Mississippi Music This video is about the delta blues and the music that came out of Clarksdale Mississippi. I drove into the city on a weekend without much preparation or planning, but I quickly got oriented to the music happening with a visit to Cat Head Delta Blues and Folk Art. They had some great looking art featuring many Mississippi blues artists. They had a printout listing all the music that was going on on the weekend which was really helpful. I went to Bad Apple Blues Club, where Sean "Bad" Apple was playing. He was very kind in asking me to go up and play a few songs. Later in the day I went to one of the oldest original Mississippi juke joints, called Red's Lounge where I saw Frank "Guitar" Rimmer playing. I didn't get a chance to see the more touristy Ground Zero Blues Club on this trip, so that's going to have to wait for another day. On my way out I got some breakfast and music at Bluesberry Cafe and caught the famous crossroads location where Robert Johnson supposedly sold his soul to the devil. Great trip. (6:36 min.)
London Music Tour 4K | Rock N Roll in Soho London has long been the epicentre of the Rock n’ Roll world and this nostalgic tour will take you on a journey through performances, recordings, album covers, and legendary gigs – both firsts and lasts! You’ll get the behind-the-scenes stories of infamous nights out, lives, loves, and the tragedies and triumphs of some of music's iconic legends. Expect rockstars, punks, goth, the hippie movement, mods and rockers, jazz legends, and forays into the history of London’s blue, trance and reggae scenes. Expect to hear about The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Eric Clapton, The Sex Pistols, The Cure, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Prince, The Small Faces, Queen, Carly Simon, U2 and Bob Marley – just to name a few! (54:53 min.)
Stax Studio Tour - The Museum of American Soul Music in Memphis, TN - HiFi America Museum Tours #7
We take you on a PRIVATE After Hour Tour of STAX Museum of American Soul Music. Join us for this exclusive tour through the most famous soul museum in the world!
(20:17 min.)
Touring Motown | This Old House
Richard Trethewey traces the history of Motown through the Detroit neighborhoods, then visits the studio where it all began. (3:46 min.)
Tour of SUN STUDIO Elvis Presley Johnny Cash Jerry Lee Lewis
#1045 SUN STUDIO - Elvis Presley - Johnny Cash - Jerry Lee Lewis - MEMPHIS TN - Jordan The Lion Daily Travel Vlog (6/17/19) (28:55 min.)

Dr. Robert L. Jefferson: A Spiritual Journey Chronology of African American Spirituals Hall Johnson, the great African American composer states it best: “True enough, this music was transmitted to us through humble channels, but its source is that of all great art everywhere-the unquenchable, divinely human longing for a perfect realization of life. It traverses every shade of emotion without spilling over in any direction. Its most tragic utterances are without pessimism, and its lightest, brightest moments have nothing to do with frivolity. In its darkest expressions there is always a hope, and in its gayest measures a constant reminder. Born out of the heart-cries of a captive people who still did not forget how to laugh, this music covers an amazing range of mood. Nevertheless, it is always serious music and should be performed seriously, in the spirit of its original conception.” Dr. Robert L. Jefferson Please subscribe to watch more videos by Dr. Robert L. Jefferson. (24:04 min.)
The Fisk Jubilee Singers: Perform the Spirituals and Save Their University Fisk University was founded in Nashville, Tenn. in 1866. As an institution for African-American students, their first years of inception were pivotal. In 1871, while facing serious financial concerns, the school’s treasurer and music teacher decided to create a tour with a choir known as the Fisk Jubilee Singers. Bringing the sacred artistry of spirituals to the world around them, the Jubilee Singers leaned on the love, dignity, and passion the songs brought their enslaved ancestors. The tour was well-received, especially by white patrons who had only seen black people on stage in minstrel shows. (2:38 min.)
Old Negro Spiritual and Slave Songs
46 videos 2,144,159 views Last updated on Aug 8, 2021
Slave Songbook : Origin of the negro Spiritual
Excerpt from PBS documentary History Dectectives Slave Songbook tracing the development of Negro Spirituals and cultural connections to Africa (17;40 min.)
Teacher Tool Video: The African-American Spirituals

African American Folk Music
27 videos 9,874 views Last updated on Nov 12, 2022
Black Folk Music
16 videos 17,860 views Last updated on Jun 10, 2017
The Story Of American Folk Music
The first of a number of extracts from a 3 hour documentary on American folk music. This episode picks up the story with John Lomax and his "discovery" of Huddie Ledbetter. It then features Woody Guthrie and the seeds of the protest movement, before looking at Pete Seeger and the politics of the left. (14;17 min.)
Why this Instrument Explains Black American Folk Music
Jake Blount has built a career out of understanding the banjo’s connection to Black American folk music. In this video, he walks us through the instrument’s history — from West Africa to enslaved people in the US to the early record industry — to explain how Black folk music has evolved. (9:01 min.)

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For example: The early record industry confined Black musicians to “race records” and white musicians to “hillbilly records.” Hillbilly music would have been early country and string band music. Race records restricted Black musicians to blues and jazz genres. Which meant Black musicians playing bluegrass-style banjo weren’t recorded — even if they were responsible for teaching white musicians.

Using field recordings, their own banjo and fiddle skills, and a deconstructed version of one of their own songs, Jake explains how Black musicians have long been left out of the current canon of folklore recordings and American folk music history. And what he’s doing to keep the tradition alive, with fresh observations and a musical style that looks both forward and backward.

America's Blues (Documentary, 2015)
America's Blues is an Award Winning feature-length documentary that explores not only the tremendous impact that Blues Music has had on Popular American Music but also it's influence on other aspects of American Culture such as art, Literature, Fashion, Films and even Sexuality in Popular Popular Culture. If Music were a color, it would be Blue. (1:24:25)
Cradle of Rhythm and Blues (Record Row TV Documentary)
Documentary on the birth and emergence of the soul music industry in the late 1950's, along the 12-block stretch of Chicago's South Michigan Avenue known as "Record Row." (56:40 min.)
Is Blues the Mother of All Modern Music?
We explore where the blues came from and how it went on to influence many modern genres of music. From Delta Blues pioneers like Robert Johnson and Son House to Chicago Blues icons like Muddy Waters and B.B. King. We breakdown how this genre can be heard in everything from heavy metal to country music. Later Nahre and LA take the elements of the blues to create their own unique track. (11:42 min.)
TOP 100 Greatest Blues Songs Of All Time: Best Blues Music
92 videos 2,173,202 views Last updated on Feb 23, 2023

What is Swing? Swing Explained in 2 Minutes (Music Theory)
what is swing, a form of popular music developed in the United States that dominated in the 1930s and 1940s. The amazing danceable swing style of big bands and bandleaders such as Benny Goodman was the dominant form of American popular music from 1935 to 1946, a period known as the swing era.

THE HISTORY OF JAZZ. WHAT IS JAZZ? (Documentary)
At the beginning of the 20th century, a new direction in music appeared in America. Although the word "jazz" came into use only in 1913, this music, distinguished by its loudness, audacity, and riot, was heard on the streets of New Orleans at least ten years earlier. Jazz possessed special rhythmic energy never seen before in folk music. In addition, jazz was bold and unpredictable - the same song sounded different with each performance, and this only made jazz attractive. The musicians improvised, following the inspiration and adapting the melody to the sounds of other instruments playing with them on stage. (17:51 min.)
Jazz Legends in Their Own Words Documentary
The Man Who Invented Jazz
The first virtuoso Charles Buddy Bolden "King Bolden" the man who invented Jazz.
The Most Recorded Jazz Bassist in History | Ron Carter: Finding the Right Notes | Full Film | PBS
This full documentary tells the story of the incredible career of the most-recorded jazz bassist in history. In addition to his own prolific discography, Ron Carter's work can be found on the albums of renowned musicians such as Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, Herbie Hancock, Roberta Flack, Paul Simon, Gil Scott-Heron, A Tribe Called Quest and many others. (1:51;49)
Queens of Jazz: The Joy and Pain of the Jazz Divas
Queens of Jazz is a celebration of some of the greatest female jazz singers of the 20th century. It takes an unflinching and revealing look at what it actually took to be a jazz diva during a turbulent time in America's social history - a time when battle lines were being constantly drawn around issues of race, gender and popular culture.(59:42 min.)
Time Out: How Dave Brubeck Changed Jazz
Top 100+ Jazz Classics Playlist | Best Jazz Music of All Time

Jazz - Ragtime, Swing & Dixieland
55 videos 260,361 views Last updated on Feb 15, 2023
The Scott Joplin Documentary by Rudi Blesh 1977 (The Story Of Popular Music Episode 2: Ragtime)
Scott Joplin was an American composer and pianist. Joplin achieved fame for his ragtime compositions and was dubbed the King of Ragtime. During his brief career, he wrote 44 original ragtime pieces, one ragtime ballet, and two operas. One of his first and most popular pieces, the "Maple Leaf Rag", became ragtime's first and most influential hit, and has been recognized as the archetypal rag. (51:30 min.)
What is Ragtime? Ragtime Explained in 2 minutes (Music Theory)

What is Boogie Woogie? Boogie Woogie Explained in 2 minutes (Music Theory)
What is boogie woogie, an extremely rhythmical and exciting piano style that was popular in the 1920s. (2;09 min.)
Boogie Woogie Documentary - ITV
A great documentary about the origins and evolution of boogie woogie music. Great footage, playing and information! (51;101 min.)
Best Boogie Woogie Songs

Bebop Explained
Musicians generally work in the evenings. This was no different in the 1930’s and 40’s. Swing musicians of the era would start work in clubs and ballrooms in the evening when people would go out for some after-work entertainment. But when audiences left the clubs and went home to bed, the Swing musicians instead went to jam sessions. The most famous of these was Minton's Playhouse, which opened in New York City in 1940. It is said that this is where Bebop was born. The house band at Milton’s included drummer Kenny Clarke and pianist Thelonious Monk. And the musicians that jammed there included Jazz greats like Ben Webster, Charlie Christian, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, and Charlie Parker.
THE BIRTH OF BEBOP Jazz History #45
The bebop era in the 1940s was a dividing line in jazz history. A radical and controversial departure from the music of the swing era, bebop could be seen as the start of ‘modern jazz’, since the melodic and harmonic language of the beboppers still underpins the jazz language today. The musical revolution--with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie at the forefront--was in full force at Minton's Playhouse in Harlem, where jam sessions served as a musical laboratory. This video kicks off a sequence focused on a relatively short but highly consequential time period in the evolution of jazz.
Jazz - Bebop and Hard Bop
Stan Levey - The Beginnings of Bebop
Legendary jazz drummer Stan Levey was not only on the scene for the birth of bebop music, he also played a significant role in its delivery. This documentary is a fascinating inside look at a musician who was both a participant and an observer, whose briskly swinging skills as a drummer were matched by an insightful understanding of the jazz history-making surroundings of his youth. Featured are commentaries from Stan and his contemporaries such as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Quincy Jones, Hank Jones, Terry Gibbs, Nino Tempo, Bill Henderson and Charlie Watts.

"Rock 'n' roll music incorporates elements from all African American music genres and combines them with American pop and country music components. The genre was born in the 1950s and appealed to the rebellious yearnings of American youth culture." -- National Museum of African American History & Culture

Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970)
"Jimi Hendrix was the single most inventive electric guitarist in rock. He did more to extend the reach of the instrument than anyone else of his generation. He single-handedly demolished traditional definitions of music by playing and recording sounds made with guitar that defied transposition or even explanation." -- Herb Bowie, Reasons to Rock
Little Richard - Tutti Frutti (1956)
"His unrestrained musicality and charismatic persona created a rock & roll blueprint followed by generations. Songs like "Tutti Frutti," "Long Tall Sally" and "Good Golly, Miss Molly" were amplified by Richard's rockin' piano, rolling rhythms and an electric stage presence. His sound and style were the cornerstones of rock & roll, and his outrageousness and rebellious spirit challenged the world to change." -- Michael Hill, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1915- 1973)
"She was one of the very first recording guitarists to incorporate heavy distortion on her tracks and she combined gospel, blues, and early R&B; religious and secular music; and notably black and white audience during the days of segregation. She influenced musicians such as Elivs Presley, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, and Eric Clapton." -- Cynthia Schemmer, SheShredsMag.com

"Funk music is a popular genre of dance- based music relying on a heavy syncopated beat and grooved, pulsing rhythm. It is a product of African American urban culture, and as such traces its roots back to the attitudes and styles of jazz, gospel, blues, and soul." -- Christopher Muscato, Study

100 Greatest Funk Songs of All Time
79 videos 8,257,305 views Last updated on Oct 14, 2022
The Flight of "THE FUNK CENTER" Documentary.
Several years ago David R. Webb and others decided to find a way to highlight Dayton’s history of the Funk music genre and to honor the legacy of Funk music. The challenge was to gather this local music history and preserve it in a museum that would become a hall of fame, exhibition center, performance venue and educational outreach for today’s young students.
How James Brown Invented Funk
James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, created the DNA for funk. Hosts LA Buckner and Nahre Sol explore how he created funk music, as well as how Brown's music influenced hip hop. They break down the sound of the genre, and create their own funky original song in the process.
The Queen of Funk's Misunderstood Musical Journey | Betty: They Say I'm Different | Amplified
Betty Davis arrives on the '70s scene to break boundaries for women with her daring personality and outrageous funk music. She then, despite being banned and boycotted, goes on to become the first black woman to perform, write and manage herself.
The Story of Funk One Nation under a Groove

100 Greatest Motown Songs
83 videos 8,915,750 views
The History of Motown Records
Six Parts Rise of Motown. Discusses the Motown Effect, Looking back over 50 years and future.
The Jackson 5
"The Jackson 5 were one of the biggest phenomenon in pop music during the early 70s... The Jackson 5's infectious brand of funky pop-soul was a definite departure from the typically smooth, elegant Motown sound, as befitting the group's youth and the dawn of a new decade." -- Steve Huey, All Music
The Motown Invasion (BBC Documentary, 2009)
Documentary revealing what made Motown special in Britain through the lens of two decisive moments in 1965 - the Motown Revue UK tour and the Sounds of Motown Ready Steady Go! television special.
OUR GENERATION: MOTOWN (2007 Documentary)
Interviews with Smokey Robinson, Martha Reeves, Otis Williams, Mary Wilson, Duke Fakir, Uriel Jones, Robin Seymour, Charlie Beckham, Robin Terry, Prof. Gregory Sumner, Anthony DeCurtis.
Stevie Wonder (1950- )
"His classical prowess on several instruments and the expressiveness of his voice has led him down a path of unprecedented fame, political impact and societal reverence... With a slew of high-profile collaborations, too many funk classics to count, and unsurpassable musicianship, Stevie Wonder is one of the most important artists in music and American entertainment culture." -- Ru Johnson, Westword
The Supremes
"The Supremes, American pop-soul vocal group whose tremendous popularity with a broad audience made its members the most successful performers of the 1960s and the flagship act of Motown Records... Not only were the Supremes the Motown label's primary crossover act, they also helped change the public image of African Americans during the civil rights era." -- Carol L. Cooper, Britannica

Infobase Films on Demand Series

Each video series covers a range of topics within the subject theme they can vary in number of Film Titles, Film length and copyright currency.

African Wave: South African Music and Its Influences
The Black Church: This is Our Story, This is Our Song Hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr, this series chronicles the rich history of an institution at the heart of the African American experience. Beginning with enslavement, traveling through Emancipation, Jim Crow, the Great Migration, the Civil Rights movement, and ending in the present-day, Gates takes viewers on a journey through time, focusing on the key events, charismatic figures, political debates, and musical traditions that have shaped, and been shaped by, the Black Church. The series also explores the complexity of these spaces of worship at a time when many believe it is at a crossroads. A chorus of leading scholars, ministers, and cultural influencers who grew up in the Black Church will weigh in and give meaning to events past and present.
The Black Roots of Music In this series from Tony Brown's Journal,the Rev. Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker, aide to MLK and university scholar, musically demonstrates with a 100-member choir how Black Americans wrote their true history in musical notes and explains how Black music made American music.
The History of Black Music This program from Tony Brown's Journal looks at a vocal extravaganza by historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that creates a unique music history lesson on stage in Las Vegas. Choirs, groups, and soloists from the nation’s Black colleges showcase their talents in riveting stage performances.
A Journey Through American Music A musical journey through the origins of American music presented by Morgan Freeman. The series mixes documentary and performance whilst retracing the roots American music and features performances at Montreux from such legendary artists as Muddy Waters, Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Al Green, Carlos Santana and Eric Clapton.
Ken Burns: Jazz A study and celebration of America’s greatest original art form, Ken Burns’s ten-part documentary series opens at the dawn of the 20th century and crosses the decades with the exuberance and expressive power of jazz itself. Each episode sheds light on cultural and historical milestones as it introduces viewers to the unforgettable names and accomplishments of the music. From the cradle of New Orleans to the crucibles of Chicago and New York City… from the Harlem Renaissance to the Great Depression to World War II and beyond… Jazz paints an astonishing portrait of a nation and the sound that both captured and set free its spirit. Distributed by PBS Distribution. 10-part series, 110 minutes each.
Maroon/Zarico/Liberty Street Blues From the National Film Board of Canada comes this celebration of the music of New Orleans in this two-part documentary. 2-part series, 105 & 135 minutes.
Songs for the Spirit
This series looks at the evolution of music in the Black experience.
Thank God: An African-American Docu-Opera There is no music more beautiful, more compelling, more American than Black Sacred Music. It is the soul of the Black Church and the Black Church is the foundation of the Black Community. This series from Tony Brown's Journal, is the first part in the "Thank God" four-part series that started out as a documentary on the African oral tradition which manifested on these shores largely as America's indigenous music. As the scenes unfolded and research progressed, there was more and more music, presenting a picture of how the African slaves learned to sing the Lord's song in a strange land.

African American Music Appreciation Month: Multimedia Resources

African American Music Videos

The Birth of Black Music Month

June Is Black Music Month,Let's Celebrate It Together| Happy Black Music Month

Music History Is Black History

African American Music Appreciation Month

The Harlem Renaissance

Billie Holiday

The History of Black Music 1960 - 2016

Why Black Music Matters

PLAY ALL 100 Greatest Motown Songs

The Best Swing Songs of All Time

Soul Songs Playlist - Greatest Soul Music Hits of All Time

1950 - 100 Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Songs of the 50s

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YouTube Channels

YouTube Videos

Infobase Films on Demand Series