June 2022: Black Music Appreciation Month

WHEREAS, Black music and culture have had a rich, lasting influence on American music; and,

WHEREAS, Black music has shaped our society, from early spirituals created during the horrific hardships of slavery, to folk, gospel, rhythm and blues, jazz, rock and roll, rap, and hip-hop; and,

WHEREAS, we honor the innovative Black artists whose music has dramatically impacted the way we feel through music, and acknowledge their preservation of Black cultural traditions; and,

WHEREAS, Black music not only stands on its own, but also has influenced and continues to shape numerous other musical and cultural traditions; and,

WHEREAS, Detroit, Michigan is the home of Motown, where chart-topping Black artists like The Temptations, The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, and many others developed what would become known as the Motown Sound; and,

WHEREAS, Black musicians have paved the way for generations of musicians across all races, creeds, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and identities, and we are grateful to those pioneers; and,

WHEREAS, while we celebrate the contributions of Black Americans to music this month, we must also recognize the crisis of racial inequity that Black musicians and Black Americans  have faced in our country for centuries, and we must work to identify and eliminate barriers  Black musicians face within the music industry; and,

WHEREAS, during the month of June, we encourage all Michiganders to enjoy the incredible music Black artists have created;

NOW, THEREFORE, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, and Garlin Gilchrist II, lieutenant governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim June 2022, as Black Music Appreciation Month in Michigan.