In 1976, Black History Month was originated by Dr. Carter G. Woodson to commemorate all of the great African American leaders in our history. Names such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks are ingrained in America’s history. While King and Parks helped forge the way for African Americans to reach the heights of Oprah Winfrey and President Barack Obama, some of the people that helped break barriers or put African American culture on the map have faded into the past.

    Most recent generations have never heard of record breaking African American athletes unless they are true fans of the sport. For example, Jesse Owens was the first track and field athlete to win four gold medals in a single Olympics (a record held for 48 years until the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics); he also broke countless records at the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin. Also, Wilt Chamberlain was the first basketball player to ever score 100 points in a single game in 1961 and the first to score over 30,000 points in the NBA.

    Sports are not the only part of American culture that has been affected by great men and women of color. Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, and Louis Armstrong are some of the greatest musicians brought forth the Harlem Renaissance. Female African American artists also have made their mark on American history. Lena Horne and Billie Holiday are two of the most heralded jazz singers of all time.

    Black History Month is a time to remember not just great African American men and women, but the past in general. Celebrate the great men and women of the past who paved the way for new generations. For more information go to http://www.biography.com/blackhistory/.


Famous songs from African American artists:
Strange Fruit – Billie Holiday
I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston
At Last – Etta James
What’s Love Got To Do With It – Tina Turner
Stormy Weather – Lena Horne
It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) – Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
Oh, Lady Be Good – Ella Fitzgerald
Good Golly Miss Molly – Little Richard

Reefer Man – Cab Calloway

Thriller – Michael Jackson
My Girl – The Temptations
Where Did Our Love Go? – The Supremes
What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
Take the “A” Train – Duke Ellington
Purple Haze – Jimi Hendrix