Sounds of the Culture: Discover African American Music Treasures with GSU Library Resources
According to the National Museum of African American History & Culture, June was first designated as National Black Music Month in 1979 by then President Jimmy Carter. Music created by African Americans has defined the musical culture of not only the United States, but also the world globally. From country to hip hop, African American music tells the stories of our lives. It encapsulates a period of political unrest to dancing joy.
GSU Library’s Special Collections is preserving hip hop in Atlanta with the Atlanta Hip Hop Archives. The mission of the Atlanta Hip Hop Archives is to collect, preserve, and make accessible materials, historical records, and stories related to the growth and development of hip hop in Atlanta. The collection covers Southern Hip Hop and subgenres of Trap, Rap, Gangsta Rap, and Crunk; materials from artists, producers, DJs, fans, venues, events, recording studios, and community. If you are interested in donating materials to the collection, reach out to the Music and Popular Culture Archivist.
For over 50 years Jet Magazine featured and preserved the musical legacy of R&B music with its Top 20 Singles and Albums lists. GSU users can relive these top 20 lists using the Jet Magazine Archive database. Using keywords, “top 20 singles” or “top 20 albums” and limiting by date, find your favorite year or decade of music to create the ultimate throwback playlist.
