Music Is History combines Questlove's deep musical expertise with his curiosity about history, examining America over the past fifty years.

When Esquire magazine planned an issue to salute the American jazz scene in 1958, graphic designer Art Kane pitched a crazy idea: how about gathering a group of beloved jazz musicians and photographing them? He didn't own a good camera, didn't know if any musicians would show up, and insisted on setting up the shoot in front of a Harlem brownstone. Could he pull it off? In a captivating collection of poems, Roxane Orgill steps into the frame of Harlem...

"The song "Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)" is personified, describing the Black history and culture that inspired its creation. Written in 1968 by singer James Brown after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, the song became an anthem for the civil rights movement"--

"The influence of African Americans on music in the United States cannot be overstated. A large variety of musical genres owe their beginnings to black musicians. Jazz, rap, funk, R&B, and even techno have roots in African American culture. This volume chronicles the history of African American music, with spotlights on influential black musicians of the past and present. Historical and contemporary photographs, including primary sources, contribute...