This Memorial Day weekend, I’m thinking about my Black ancestors who fought and died for this nation in every war. I think about those who served and lived to tell the tale. They came home to die a slower death, under racism and discrimination, which is also a killer. I honor them all.
When thinking about music to both celebrate their lives and memorialize their joining the ancestors, my thoughts turned immediately to the work of William Grant Still, who was known as “The Dean of African American Composers.”
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Black Music Sunday is a weekly series highlighting all things Black music. With over 150 stories (and counting) covering performers, genres, history, and more, each featuring its own vibrant soundtrack, I hope you’ll find some familiar tunes and perhaps an introduction to something new.