Music Mondays - Today in Black History Facts

1)    On September 11, 1959, Duke Ellington was awarded the Spingarn Medal for his musical achievements.  Duke Ellington, celebrated as one of the most incredible pianists and Jazz musicians of all time, won many awards during his lifetime; many of which are Grammy’s.  However, in 1959, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People award Mr. Ellington with the coveted Spingarn Medal.

The Spingarn Medal is awarded to the African American who has had the highest achievement in the year preceding the award.  It is used to magnify the achievements of African Americans to the rest of the world and “as a stimulus to the ambition of youth of color”.  The Medal is not given to any one position in any one specific field or endeavor.  For more information, visit the NAACP’s website here.

2)    On September 11, 1977, Quincy Jones won an Emmy for the musical composition of the miniseries ‘Roots’.  Quincy Jones, a legend in Black music, activist, and songwriter, has won many awards, has attained many accolades, and is a part of the musical community of icons to garner many achievements. Perhaps one of his best was his contribution to the musical composition of ‘Roots’. The miniseries cleaned up at the Emmy’s that year, and Quincy Jones, along with Gerald Fried, would win the award for Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore).

To see all the winners for this miniseries, including Cicely Tyson for Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a comedy or drama series, visit the Emmy’s site here.

Sources:

1)    Duke Ellington. (2017, April 28). Retrieved September 11, 2017, from https://www.biography.com/people/duke-ellington-9286338

2)    Quincy Jones. (2017, May 30). Retrieved September 11, 2017, from https://www.biography.com/people/quincy-jones-9357524

3)    Roots. (1970, January 01). Retrieved September 11, 2017, from http://www.emmys.com/shows/roots

4)    The Official Site of Jazz Legend Duke Ellington; http://www.dukeellington.com/ellingtonbio.html; 2008

5)    The Spingarn Medal. (n.d.). Retrieved September 11, 2017, from https://donate.naacp.org/pages/spingarn-medal

6)    Welcome to BlackFacts! (n.d.). Retrieved September 11, 2017, from http://www.blackfacts.com/