Win Tickets for Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue Concert!

President Gerald R. Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, calling upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

While as a country, we tend to highlight Black History significantly more during the month of February, black history is really everyone’s history.  We recall the momentous actions of Rosa hidden-colors-facebookParks and Martin Luther King, Jr while sometimes missing the many lesser-known, unsung heroes in America.  An example is the story behind the blockbuster movie “Hidden Figures” : the incredible untold story of Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson – brilliant African-American women working at NASA, who served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit

When you think about the invention of the cotton gin and its crucial impact on the progress of trade, do you consider the mind behind it?  When you open your refrigerator, read an almanac, or praise the creation of the modern toilet it’s unlikely that we think about the color of the person that gave us these gifts.  These are the inventions of African Americans.  However, it’s the value of the contribution to our history that is significant – not the race of the inventor.

The same holds true for music – from gospel and the blues to jazz and hip hop, Blacks have  long shaped American music including such genres as country and rock ‘n’ roll.  Because music is a universal language that touches the human soul,  their contributions have played a significant role in bridging cultural gaps in our society.

Test your knowledge of African American Music through February 28th to win  a pair of tickets to see Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue with Yola,  Robert Randolph Band and the legendary, Mavis Staples (pictured right) at Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre, Charlotte on Friday, June 2, 2023. You’ll also have a chance to hear our countdown of the Top 28 Most Influential Black Artists of the 20th Century on Tuesday, Feb. 28th at 3 p.m.

 

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