Other
Florence Beatrice Price: African American Composer
Learn about the first African American women to have a symphony performed by a major orchestra. This resource lists information about her birth, her marriage and a list of nearly all of her compositions.
PBS
Pbs: Duke Ellington's Washington
This site explores the life of Duke Ellington, as well as the strong African-American community that flourished in Washington, D.C., during the time that Ellington lived there (1899-1923).
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of American History: Documents Gallery: Ellington and Strayhorn
Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, two of the greatest jazz composers, collaborated on hundreds of works. As you explore this exhibition, you will have an opportunity to view original music scores, listen to audio clips, and view videos...
Read Works
Read Works: Famous African Americans Duke Ellington
[Free Registration/Login Required] This passage contains biographical information about the famous jazz composter, Duke Ellington. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that reinforces essential reading skills and strategies and...
Other
Afrocentric Voices in Classical Music
Visit this website for short biographies of some of the African American singers and composers who have contributed to the world of Classical music.
Other
Pdn and Kodak Professional: Gordon Parks: Memories Left Behind
Offers an overview into the life of well known writer, composer, photojournalist, and artist, Gordon Parks. Included is a gallery of images, a brief biography, and video clips of selected interviews.
Duke University
Still Going On:the Life and Times of William Grant Still
This site contains extensive information on William Grant Still. Includes details on his works and a timeline of his life. Primary source material too!
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: w.c. Handy
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features W.C. Handy, an African American composer who changed the course of popular music by integrating the blues idiom into then-fashionable ragtime music. Among his best-known works is the...
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Great War & Jazz Age (1914 1928)
This Library of Congress time-line series surveys World War I and the Jazz Age. When World War I broke out in Europe, many changes were going on in the United States. Women were voting for the first time and African-American culture was...
Other
Africlassical: Black History and Classical Music
Africlassical profiles musicians and composers of African descent since the time of Mozart.
PBS
Pbs: Literature & Life: Choice of Weapons
It is hard to categorize Gordon Park, Sr., because he excelled in so many areas. He was well known for his writing, his photojournalism and in film. He also composed music. Listen here to an interview with Gordon Parks, Sr., and to...
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Duke Ellington
Explore the fascinating life of a founding father of jazz music. Duke Ellington (1899-1974 CE) was a gifted musician and composer from an early age. This website provides you with a detailed account of his life and his accomplishments.
IMDb
Internet Movie Database: Gordon Parks
This site, part of the online movie database IMDb.com, provides a biography of Gordon Parks and links to discussions of his films, including "Shaft" and "The Learning Tree."
Rutgers University
Rutgers University: Fats Waller Forever
This digital exhibit provides a basic overview of Fats Waller and his music. Divided into sections that cover Life and Times, Ed Kirkeby Collection, the music, recordings, European and US tours, notes, and more.
University of Virginia
University of Virginia: James Bland
This site from the University of Virginia provides an image "of an 1879 songbook featuring the music of James Bland, an African American composer of minstrel pieces."
Scott Alexander
Red Hot Jazz: Ferdinand Jelly Roll Morton
Red Hot Jazz offers a biography of jazz great, Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton, with selections of Morton's compositions and arrangements in Real Audio format.
Other
Tania Leon: A Woman Pioneering the Future
At this site read about Tania Leon, the Cuban born composer and conductor. This article focuses mainly on her works.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Erroll Garner
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Erroll Garner, a U.S. pianist and composer, one of the most virtuosic and popular pianists in jazz. Garner was influenced by Fats Waller and was entirely self-taught. He substituted for...
New York Times
New York Times: Ellington at 100
Celebrating the life and career of jazz legend Duke Ellington, this New York Times site features many articles about him. With a slideshow and pictures, you will learn all about this giant of jazz.
Other
Alligator Records: Koko Taylor
Biographical information about Koko Taylor. Links to pages with information about each of her albums.
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Dizzy Gillespie
Dizzie Gillespie helped create a new form of modern jazz called be-bop. It was the predecessor of hip-hop that is so popular today.
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington (1899-1974 CE), a jazz legend, was a very interesting person. Here you will get brief biographical information along with a few additional articles on Ellington.
Other
Class Act: Lena Horne
Discusses the career of actress and singer Lena Horne; the site provides a brief biography highlighting her life. Included are also links to some of the major films she was in.
Smithsonian Institution
National Postal Museum: Art of the Stamp: Thelonious Monk
View the artwork for a U.S. postage stamp issued in 1995 to commemorate Thelonious monk, one of the founders of modern jazz. With a short biographical passage.