Black History Month started with the intent to educate children about the contributions and achievements of Black Americans. Historian Carter G. Woodson chose February because both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass had birthdays during the second week of the month. Music educators may want to view Nate Holder’s poem to reflect on ways to improve recognizing Black/African American contributions to music.
His words might even be applied to all non-white music and musicians. You can start by removing “world” or “ethnic” from categories of music while also ensuring you're not appropriating African sounds without providing credit to or context of their meaning to the culture. Instead, consider sharing the music and the historical contributions of Black composers.
If you’re committed to diverse voices and inclusive classrooms, you may want to evaluate your music selections for appropriation vs appreciation. Here’s a good resource on the definitions. Stay tuned for more content on other resources and our newly forthcoming collaborations.
Pictured: Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, Saint-Georges by Mather Brown, 1787