June: Black Music Month Celebration at Downing-Gross

Black Music Month was started in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter as a way to honor black musical contributions to America. African people have a rich cultural heritage dating back thousands of years. So powerful was the culture of Africa that one of the first things that the slave traders did was to take away the drums of the captive Africans. Scholars have suggested that "Black" music is the only truly American music. If not for the influence of Black entertainers there would have never been an Elvis, Madonna, Kenny G or a Britney Spears.

During this Month, Downing-Gross celebrated the culture and diversity of African-American music through an amazing lineup of artists, including: Frede Payne, PJ Morton, Nicole Henry, Queen Esther Marrow, Jean Carne, Maya Azucena and Teodross Avery. The month's celebration even spilled into July, with a performance by "Rising Icon," Chrisette Michele, as recently named by BET.