In this interesting encyclopedia article, you can read about the beginning of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, a gospel group which performed spirituals all over the country and the world.

This encyclopedia entry extols Queen Latifah as the most influential female rap singer. You can read about her evolution as a rap singer and actress.

This encyclopedia article tells the high points of Mahalia Jackson's life. She was a world-renowned gospel singer whose influence was felt in the civil rights movement.

This encyclopedia entry details the life of Ella Fitzgerald, the incredible jazz singer.

This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica's Guide to Black History features Beyonce, an American singer-songwriter and actress who achieved fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of the R&B group Destiny's Child and then launched a...

Some great photos and a look at The Fisk Jubilee Singers' 1885 travel logbook from their European trip.

This entry from Encyclopedia Brittanica's Guide to Black History features Taj Mahal, an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, and one of the pioneers of what came to be called world music. He combined blues and other African-American...

This encyclopedia entry tells of Billie Holliday's life. She was, perhaps, the most accomplished jazz vocalist. There is a link to a PBS website for further information.

This brief encyclopedia entry gives information about Nat "King" Cole, an influential jazz pianist and vocalist.

This encyclopedia entry tells about Paul Robeson, famous baritone, and his struggles for racial equality. A link to a website for more information on African-Americans is provided.

Sam Cooke's influence on music, as the pioneer in cross-over from gospel to rhythm and blues, is described in this encyclopedia entry. His music was important to the African-American identity in the Civil Rights movement.

Celebrate Black Heritage Month by studying this extraordinary vocalist who transcended a troubled childhood to become an American treasure. Create a musical timeline of the noteworthy events in Ella's life. Explore her sensational lyrics...

This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Sammy Davis, Jr., an American singer, dancer, and entertainer.

This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Lloyd Price, an American singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. Price made his mark in rock music history with his exuberant tenor and his flair for recasting rhythm and blues as...

An informative biography of jazz singer Sarah Vaughan (1924-1990 CE) is presented highlighting her long musical career.

Entry, from an online encyclopedia of African American history, for Josephine Baker.

This resource provides information about Chuck Berry.

This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica's Guide to Black History features the Soul Stirrers, an American gospel group who were one of the first male quintets and one of the most enduring male groups. Several singers emerged from the...

Short biography of influential black vocalist Sam Cooke.

Summarizes the life and career of Luther Vandross, an American soul and pop singer, songwriter, and producer whose widespread popularity and reputation as a consummate stylist began in the early 1980s.

This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Louis Jordan, an American saxophonist-singer prominent in the 1940s and '50s who was a seminal figure in the development of both rhythm and blues and rock and roll. The bouncing, rhythmic...

Read about the life of Paul Robeson, celebrated American singer, actor, and black activist.

This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Celia Cruz, a Cuban singer who reigned for decades as the "Queen of Salsa Music," electrifying audiences with her wide-ranging, soulful voice and rhythmically compelling style.

This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Clyde McPhatter, an American rhythm-and-blues singer popular in the 1950s whose emotional style anticipated soul music.