The Music of Black Americans: A History [Paperback]

Eileen Southern (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1983 | ISBN-10: 0393952797 | ISBN-13: 978-0393952797 | Edition: 2nd

This text provides comprehensive coverage of black American music, from the arrival of the first Africans in the English colonies to contemporary developments in African-American history. The book draws on authentic documents, from colonial times to the present, to illuminate the history of black music. The book provides thorough treatment of black women musicians, including Lil Hardin Armstrong, Marian Anderson, Billie Holiday, Leontyne Price and Ella Fitzgerald.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The third edition of Southern's (music and Afro-American studies, emerita, Harvard) scholarly work chronicles the development of African American music, from the arrival of the first Africans at the English colonies in 1619 to the present. The evolution of various genres, instrumentation, minstrelsy, dance, religious aspects, recording companies, and musical theater are all dealt with meticulously. A chronology of important events at the beginning of each chapter and extensive bibliographies and discographies help greatly in navigating the massive amount of material. An important addition to this edition is expanded coverage of women composers and performers. The only drawback is the minimal coverage of the modern era: rhythm and blues, soul, rock'n'roll, and disco are covered in just ten pages. The social, cultural, and historical importance of this book make it essential for all libraries.?Dan Bogey, Clearfield Cty. P.L. Federation, Curwensville, Pa.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Eileen Southern, Professor Emerita of Music and Afro-American Studies at Harvard University, founded and edited the journal The Black Perspective in Music (1973—90). She lives in New York City. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 622 pages
• Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc; 2nd edition (November 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393952797
• ISBN-13: 978-0393952797
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,579,416 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "the definitive authority on Black American Music", June 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Music of Black Americans: A History (Hardcover)

I have used this text in teaching African and African-American music, since the first edition. It is by far the most "definitive" book on the subject.Dr. Southern's insistence upon "historical dates and periods" to accompany the development and proliferation of African derived music, keeps the music connected to the economic,political, and social "conditions" that brought it about. I agree with Samuel Floyd, her work is a "quiet revolution."

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An invaluable reference work --, January 22, 2001

By 

kellytwo "kellytwo" (cleveland hts, ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Music of Black Americans: A History (Hardcover)

Have you ever heard about The National Negro Opera Company? Founded by Mary Cardwell Dawson, the company made its debut in Pittsburgh in 1941. This is but one of the fascinating things you can discover in this marvelous book. If you have an interest in music of whatever variety, your library is incomplete without this book.

This 3rd edition was done in 1997, thus it is quite up-to-date in its coverage of classical, jazz, rock, pop, gospel, swing, ragtime or blues. If it is music as practiced, performed or composed by people of color, this is where you'll find valuable information about it. Beginning with Africa and continuing to the present day, the four sections detail this rich history: Song in a Strange Land (1619-1775); Let My People Go (1776-1865); Blow Ye the Trumpet (1865-1919) and Lift Every Voice (1920-1996). The latter section is particularly informative reading with sections on Jazz, The Harlem Renaissance, and the Mid-Century Decades. It is these years in which artists of color finally took their well-deserved place on the musical stages of the world. Of course, they had been visible in their own world, and the popularity of such major composers as Scott Joplin and Duke Ellington allowed them to more or less effortlessly cross-over to the 'white' world. Lena Horne, the Mills Brothers, Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway were--and still are--names to be reckoned with in any list of fabulous performers.

And then there was Marion Anderson who finally made her way to the Metropolitan Opera at the very end of her career, making way for Robert McFerrin, Leontyne Price, Jessye Norman, Simon Estes and George Shirley, who were very much pioneers in their respective repertoire. Today, thankfully, artists of color are not at all rare on the concert and/or opera stages of the world. But lest we forget the individual trauma these artists suffered in order to be able to compete in this way, we need to remember the past while we are glorying in the present. This book will, if you let it, open your mind and your ears to wonderful, glorious sounds, without which our world would be a much quieter and poorer place.

The author of this book is the renowned Eileen Southern (Professor Emerita of Music and Afro-American Studies at Harvard University) who is herself a musician as well as a writer, and is eminently qualified to illuminate The Music of Black Americans to the world in general.

Pages 613 through 646 comprise a rich bibliography and discography; the index takes up 41 pages. NO music lover should be without this invaluable reference work.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great source on the subject!, July 29, 2003

By 

Octavia Holland "Bookworm" (New York USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The music of black Americans: A history (Hardcover)

I am using this book for my masters thesis and I must say that I am very pleased. Ms. Southern did an excellent job researching the subject and the book is put together well. There is so much information involved!!! She starts from the VERY beginning and smoothly takes you through the ride of African-American music. Each section is very thorough. This text is perfect for anyone who is researching the subject or just wants to gain knowledge on this rich music. A+++