The Motivation

Across our great nation, there are museums that teach of atrocities of slavery or memorialize the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement.  There are museums to commemorate musicians or honor fallen war heroes. But nowhere exists a museum to show how the elements of African American culture evolve as a product of history, thrive by great movements, and remain intertwined by the power of music. No other city brings all of these components of the story together more completely and dramatically than our city.  “Music City” – Nashville, Tennessee – is the place to explore, educate, celebrate, and live the impact of African American culture and music.

let the music move you

Music has long been an integral part of African American ethnicity. African American music has been a reflection and description of the culture, as well as a significant influence on a number of music genres. The metamorphosis of music in America began with African spirituals and “work songs” of the early 1800s and the black Vaudeville entertainers interlacing with the European style music of southern America. This blending of styles yielded the “folk blues” in the late 1800s.

During the 20th century, a number of genres evolved with the African American influence, from Gospel, Jazz and Blues to Reggae, Soul and Rap. What better place is there to explore the impact of African American music, than in “Music City” – Nashville, Tennessee. Nashville was tagged “Music City” in the early 1900s due in part to the fame of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. The Fisk University Jubilee Singers traveled across the U.S. and Europe and became world-renowned for their extraordinary performances of traditional black spirituals.

Through the early decades of the 20th century, artists of country music and rhythm and blues helped to establish Nashville as a music mecca. Nashville is a place of music evolution from the likes of DeFord Bailey, an African American star of the Grand Ole Opry in the 1930s, or the rhythm and blues sounds of Nashville’s WLAC radio station to the revolution of Jimi Hendrix. Come experience the history of black music in Nashville and the impact of African American artists on the American music scene at The Museum of African American Music, Art & Culture.