[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 559 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 559

   Recognizing the contributions of African Americans to the musical 
heritage of the United States and the need for greater access to music 
education for African-American students, and expressing support for the 
   designation of June as African-American Music Appreciation Month.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 28, 2018

Mr. Booker (for himself, Ms. Harris, Mr. Carper, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Jones, 
    Mr. Cardin, Mr. Nelson, and Mr. Coons) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
                          Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Recognizing the contributions of African Americans to the musical 
heritage of the United States and the need for greater access to music 
education for African-American students, and expressing support for the 
   designation of June as African-American Music Appreciation Month.

Whereas spirituals, ragtime, blues, jazz, gospel, classical composition, and 
        countless other categories of music have been created or enhanced by 
        African Americans, and are etched into the history and culture of the 
        United States;
Whereas the first Africans transported to the United States came from a variety 
        of ethnic groups with a long history of distinct and cultivated musical 
        traditions, brought musical instruments with them, and built new musical 
        instruments in the United States;
Whereas spirituals were a distinct response to the conditions in the United 
        States, and expressed the longing of slaves for spiritual and bodily 
        freedom, for safety from harm and evil, and for relief from the 
        hardships of slavery;
Whereas jazz, arguably the most creative and complex music that the United 
        States has produced, combines the musical traditions of African 
        Americans in New Orleans with the creative flexibility of blues music;
Whereas masterful trumpeters Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis achieved national 
        and international recognition with the success of ``West End Blues'' by 
        Louis Armstrong in the 1920s and ``So What'' by Miles Davis in the late 
        1950s;
Whereas talented jazz pianist and vocalist Nathaniel Adams Coles recorded more 
        than 150 singles and sold more than 50 million records;
Whereas the talent of Ella Fitzgerald, winner of 13 Grammys, is epitomized by a 
        rendition of ``Summertime'', a bluesy record accompanied by melodic 
        vocals;
Whereas Natalie Cole, the daughter of Nathaniel Adams Coles, achieved musical 
        success in the mid-1970s as a rhythm and blues artist with the hits 
        ``This Will Be'' and ``Unforgettable'';
Whereas in the 1940s bebop evolved through jam sessions, which included 
        trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and the alto saxophonist Charlie Parker, that 
        were held at clubs in Harlem, New York, such as Minton's Playhouse;
Whereas earlier classical singers such as Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, one of 
        the first widely known African-American vocalists, and other early 
        African-American singing pioneers, including Nellie Mitchell Brown, 
        Marie Selika Williams, Rachel Walker Turner, Marian Anderson, and Flora 
        Batson Bergen paved the way for female African-American concert singers 
        who have achieved great popularity during the last 50 years;
Whereas the term ``rhythm and blues'' originated in the late 1940s as a way to 
        describe recordings marketed to African Americans and replaced the term 
        ``race music'';
Whereas lyrical themes in rhythm and blues often encapsulate the African-
        American experience of pain, the quest for freedom, joy, triumphs and 
        failures, relationships, economics, and aspiration, and were popularized 
        by artists such as Ray Charles, Ruth Brown, Etta James, and Otis 
        Redding;
Whereas soul music originated in the African-American community in the late 
        1950s and early 1960s and combines elements of African-American gospel 
        music, rhythm and blues, and jazz, and was popularized by artists such 
        as James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, and Jackie Wilson;
Whereas in the early 1970s the musical style of disco emerged and was 
        popularized by programs such as Soul Train and by artists such as Donna 
        Summer and Tower of Power;
Whereas reggae is a genre of music that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s 
        and incorporates some of the musical elements of rhythm and blues, jazz, 
        mento, calypso, and African music, and was popularized by artists such 
        as Bob Marley;
Whereas rock and roll was developed from African-American musical styles such as 
        gospel and rhythm and blues, and was popularized by artists such as 
        Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, and Jimi Hendrix;
Whereas rap, arguably the most complex and influential form of hip-hop culture, 
        combines elements of the African-American musical tradition (blues, 
        jazz, and soul) with Caribbean calypso, dub, and dance hall reggae;
Whereas the development and popularity of old style rap combined confident beats 
        with wordplay and storytelling, highlighting the struggle of African-
        American youth growing up in struggling neighborhoods;
Whereas contemporary rhythm and blues, which originated in the late 1970s and 
        combines elements of pop, rhythm and blues, soul, funk, hip hop, gospel, 
        and electronic dance music was popularized by artists such as Whitney 
        Houston and Aaliyah;
Whereas Michael Jackson, one of the most popular entertainers of all time, 
        profoundly shaped music, dance, fashion, and popular culture around the 
        world;
Whereas Prince Rogers Nelson, who was known for electric performances and wide 
        vocal range, pioneered music that integrated a wide variety of styles, 
        including funk, rock, contemporary rhythm and blues, new wave, soul, 
        psychedelia, and pop;
Whereas a recent study by the Department of Education found that only 28 percent 
        of African-American students receive any kind of arts education;
Whereas African-American students scored the lowest of all ethnicities in the 
        most recent National Assessment for Educational Progress arts 
        assessment;
Whereas students who are eligible for the school lunch program established under 
        the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et 
        seq.) have significantly lower scores on the music portion of the 
        National Assessment for Educational Progress arts assessment than 
        students that are ineligible for that program, which suggests that 
        students in low-income families are disadvantaged in the subject of 
        music;
Whereas a recent study showed that nearly \2/3\ of music ensemble students were 
        Caucasian and middle class and only 15 percent were African-American;
Whereas the same study found that only 7 percent of music teacher licensure 
        candidates were African-American; and
Whereas minority students face many barriers to accessing musical training, 
        especially students in large urban public schools: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate recognizes--
            (1) the contributions of African Americans to the musical 
        heritage of the United States;
            (2) the wide array of talented and popular African-American 
        musical artists, composers, songwriters, and musicians who are 
        underrecognized for contributions to music;
            (3) the achievements, talent, and hard work of African-
        American pioneer artists, and the obstacles that those artists 
        overcame to gain recognition;
            (4) the need for African-American students to have greater 
        access to and participation in music education in schools 
        across the United States; and
            (5) Black History Month and African-American Music 
        Appreciation Month as an important time--
                    (A) to celebrate the impact of the African-American 
                musical heritage on the musical heritage of the United 
                States; and
                    (B) to encourage greater access to music education 
                so that the next generation may continue to greatly 
                contribute to the musical heritage of the United 
                States.
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