Black History: Music

Explore African American history through musical traditions with essential academic works selected by RCL editors. Resources for College Libraries (RCL) features 90,000+ core titles for academic libraries, curated by Choice/ACRL subject specialists and available at rclweb.net.

Updated January 2, 2026
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Spirituals and the blues an interpretation
Cone, James H.
Paper Book
Black noise rap music and black culture in contemporary America
Rose, Tricia.
Paper Book
From its beginnings in hip hop culture, the dense rhythms and aggressive lyrics of rap music have made it a provocative fixture on the American cultural landscape. Black culture expert Tricia Rose takes a comprehensive look at the lyrics, music, themes and styles of rap and grapples with the debates...
The music of Black Americans : a history
Southern, Eileen.
Paper Book
A new edition of the classic text on African American music.
Blues legacies and Black feminism : Gertrude "Ma" Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday
Davis, Angela Y.
Paper Book
The author of "Women, Race and Class" suggests that "Ma" Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday represent a black working-class, feminist ideology and historical consciousness. Davis' illuminating analysis of the songs performed by these artists provides readers with a compelling and...

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