February is Black History Month
The contributions of African American Women to the musical lexicon in the United States has been profound. Pioneering figures include Bessie Smith (1898–1937), known as the “Empress of the Blues, singer Ella Fitzgerald (1918–1996), a master of improvisation who came to be known as “The First Lady of Song and Melba Liston (1926–1999), a trombonist, an arranger, and the leader of an all-female jazz group in the 1950s and 1960s.
Bernice Johnson Reagon (1942–) founded the female a cappella ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock, a group committed to showcasing Africa's diverse musical heritage. A star in Europe many years before she made her American debut, Marian Anderson (1902–1993) was one of the greatest contraltos of all time. Consider composer and pianist Margaret Bonds (1913–1972) who wrote works that explore the African American experience. Her best-known compositions include the ballet Migration (1964), Spiritual Suite for Piano (1950s), Mass, D Minor (1959), and the songs “The Ballad of the Brown King” (1960) and “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” (1935).
Other greats to keep in mind are singer-songwriter Phoebe Snow (1952–2011), singers Diana Ross (1944–), Chaka Khan (1953-), and Whitney Houston (1963–2012).
The younger generation of female African American musical artists includes R&B singers Alicia Cook (better known as Alicia Keys, 1981–), pop singers Beyonce Knowles-Carter (1981–), Robyn Fenty (Rihanna, 1988–), Rhiannon Giddens (1977-), Jhene Aiko (1988-), and Brittany Howard (1988-)
The Northfield Library catalog has a great collection of musical CDs that reflect the contributions of African American women. If you are interested in developing a comprehensive discography or want to sample some of this fantastic music contact the library!
