African-American Music Appreciation Month

African-American Music Appreciation Month is an annual celebration of African-American music in the United States. It was initiated as Black Music Month by President Jimmy Carter who, on June 7, 1979, decreed that June would be the month of black music. Similar presidential proclamations have been made annually since then.

In 2009, the commemoration was given its current name by President Barack Obama.^[1] In his 2016 proclamation, Obama noted that African-American music and musicians have helped the country "to dance, to express our faith through song, to march against injustice, and to defend our country's enduring promise of freedom and opportunity for all. "^[2]

References

1. "African-American Music Appreciation Month | The White House". Whitehouse.gov. 2009-06-02. Retrieved 2011-07-15.
2. Presidential Proclamation -- African-American Music Appreciation Month, 2016 The White House, May 31, 2016