    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 124, 111th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    PROCLAMATION 8527--MAY 28, 2010

    Proclamation 8527 of May 28, 2010
    African-American Music Appreciation Month, 2010
    By the President of the United States of America
    A Proclamation

    Music can tell a story, assuage our sorrows, provide blessing and
    redemption, and express a soul's sublime and powerful beauty. It
    inspires us daily, giving voice to the human spirit. For many, including
    the African-American community, music unites individuals through a
    shared heritage. During African-American Music Appreciation Month, we
    celebrate the extraordinary legacy of African-American singers,
    composers, and musicians, as well as their indelible contributions to
    our Nation and our world.
    Throughout our history, African-American music has conveyed the hopes
    and hardships of a people who have struggled, persevered and overcome.
    Through centuries of injustice, music comforted slaves, fueled a
    cultural renaissance, and sustained a movement for equality. Today, from
    the shores of Africa and the islands of the Caribbean to the jazz clubs
    of New Orleans and the music halls of Detroit, African-American music
    reflects the rich sounds of many experiences, cultures, and locales.
    African-American musicians have created and expanded a variety of
    musical genres, synthesizing diverse artistic traditions into a
    distinctive soundscape. The soulful strains of gospel, the harmonic and
    improvisational innovations of jazz, the simple truth of the blues, the

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    rhythms of rock and roll, and the urban themes of hip-hop all blend into
    a refrain of song and narrative that traces our Nation's history.
    These quintessentially American styles of music have helped provide a
    common soundtrack for people of diverse cultures and backgrounds, and
    have joined Americans together not just on the dance floor, but also in
    our churches, in our public spaces, and in our homes. This month, we
    honor the talent and genius of African-American artists who have
    defined, shaped, and enriched our country through music, and we recommit
    to sharing their splendid gifts with our children and grandchildren.
    NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
    America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
    the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2010 as African-
    American Music Appreciation Month. I call upon public officials,
    educators, and the people of the United States to observe this month
    with appropriate activities and programs that raise awareness and foster
    appreciation of African-American music.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day
    of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the
    Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
    fourth.
    BARACK OBAMA