Senate Resolution No. 2572

BY: Senator COMRIE

MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
June 2017 as Black Music 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, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim June 2017 as Black
Music Month in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance
of National African-American Music Appreciation Month; and

WHEREAS, This auspicious occasion will be celebrated with an
appearance by celebrated singer, songwriter, and producer Eric Roberson
at the Queens Library on Friday, June 9, 2017; this Grammy award nominee
continues to break boundaries as an independent artist in an industry
dominated by major labels, manufactured sounds and mainstream radio; and

WHEREAS, Described as the original pioneer of the independent
movement in R&B/Soul music, Eric Roberson has achieved numerous major
milestones in his career, from being a successful songwriter and
producer for notable artists such as Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild, Dwele,
Vivian Green and countless others, to releasing nine albums under his
Blue Erro Soul imprint; 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 has
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 Black Music 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 2017, we honor the pioneers
of African-American music along with today's artists who continue their
legacy; and

WHEREAS, From "Glory", the Academy Award winning best original 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 a Rally 4 Peace concert in Baltimore, Maryland,
in 2015, we are reminded 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; and

WHEREAS, Queens, and in particular the neighborhoods of St. Albans
and Addisleigh Park, were the traditional home to an entire spectrum of
musical pioneers and legends, including: Count Basie, Lena Horne, Ella
Fitzgerald, Illinois Jacquet, James Brown, Milt Hinton, Cootie Williams,
John Coltrane and Charlie Parker among so many others; 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 2017 as Black
Music Month in the State of New York; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of
New York, Eric Roberson, and Dennis M. Walcott, President and CEO of
Queens Library.