Assembly Resolution No. 388

BY: M. of A. Richardson

MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
June 2021, as African American Music Appreciation
Month in the State of New York

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body, in keeping with
its time-honored traditions, to recognize and pay tribute to those who
seek to preserve and celebrate the musical heritage of our State and
Nation; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to memorialize
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim June 2021, as African American
Music Appreciation Month in the State of New York, in conjunction with
the observance of National African-American Music Appreciation Month;
and

WHEREAS, African American Music Appreciation Month is an annual
celebration of African American music in the United States, commemorated
with special performances and multi-day festivals in musical genres
ranging from soul to jazz to gospel throughout the nation; and

WHEREAS, Observation of Black Music Month was initiated on June 7,
1979, by President Jimmy Carter, who decreed that June would be the
month of black music; since then, American presidents have continued the
practice and, for each year of his term, President Barack Obama
announced the observance under a new title, African American Music
Appreciation Month; and

WHEREAS, America's diverse musical heritage is a reflection of the
creativity and optimism of our Nation; during African American Music
Appreciation Month, we celebrate the breathtaking talents and creativity
of African American vocalists, instrumentalists, and composers whose
achievements have shaped our national culture and enriched our
communities; and

WHEREAS, For the entire span of our Nation's history, African
Americans have created music that communicates across racial and social
boundaries, giving voice to the full range of human experience; and

WHEREAS, During African Americans' involuntary servitude, music
often served as a means of expressing the inexpressible; when facing the
cruelty of slavery and injustice, spirituals brought comfort to troubled
souls; and

WHEREAS, These timeless declarations of hope and faith evolved into
the more modern genres of gospel, blues, ragtime, and jazz, expressed in
the musical genius of Scott Joplin, Marian Anderson, Eubie Blake, and
Mahalia Jackson; during the Civil Rights era, African American musicians
such as Duke Ellington, Muddy Waters, and Ruth Brown conveyed the
struggles of their communities while bringing people of all backgrounds
together; today, this music continues to inspire America's citizens and
advance its creative spirit; and

WHEREAS, Throughout the course of American history, black musicians
have used their great talents to share the richness of the African
American experience and to develop a uniquely American style of music
enjoyed throughout the world; in June 2021, we honor the pioneers of
African American music along with today's artists who continue their
legacy; and

WHEREAS, From "Glory", the winning best song in the movie "Selma" to
the historic success of Jay-Z and Beyonce, to the continual social
impact displayed by artists such as Stevie Wonder and Prince who
performed in Baltimore, Maryland, remind us that Black lives matter; and

WHEREAS, A local component, the Harlem Renaissance, was the name
given to the cultural, social, and artistic movement that took place in
Harlem between the end of World War I and the middle of the 1930s;
during this period, Harlem was a cultural center, drawing black writers,
artists, musicians, photographers, poets, and scholars; and

WHEREAS, The Bronx is home of hip-hop, a cultural movement which
formed during the late 1960s among African American youths residing in
the South Bronx in New York City; hip-hop legends who hail from the
Bronx include KOOL DJ Herc, Grandmaster Melle Mel and Kurtis Blow; in
addition, preparations are being made, led by Rocky Bucano, for a
universal hip-hop museum to be located in the Bronx; and

WHEREAS, Events which provide a means of preserving a part of our
rich American past and which contribute to the community in such noble
endeavors as aforementioned, are held in the highest regard by this
Legislative Body; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim June 2021, as African
American Music Appreciation Month in the State of New York; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of
New York.