Each fall in Savannah, Georgia, classical musicians from all over the world gather for the Colour of Music Black Classical Musicians Festival. Inspired by the man many have dubbed “The Black Mozart,” slave-trade era composer Chevalier de Saintes-Georges, they pay tribute to black excellence in music, especially chamber ensemble players.
In the spirit of #ColourofMusicFestival, we have compiled a reading list centered on accomplished musicians of color – women, specifically – and their manifold contributions. As in so many areas, the achievements of women of color have been underplayed, sidelined, and relegated to the marginalia of history. Some names will be familiar to many parents and a few kids, while others may be completely new. Such is the beauty of modern juvenile non-fiction!
For the next few weeks, Mia Learning’s blog will be shedding the spotlight on several of these titles at a time. Here is our master list:
- Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa by Andrea Davis Pinkney
- When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson, the Voice of a Century by Pam Munoz Ryan
- Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa by Veronica Chambers
- Baby Flo: Florence Mills Lights Up the Stage by Alan Schroeder
- She Sang Promise: The Story of Betty Mae Jumper, Seminole Tribe Leader by Jan Godown Annino
- Sophisticated Ladies: The Great Women of Jazz by Leslie Gourse
- Little Melba and Her Big Trombone by Katheryn Russell-Brown
- Swing Sisters: The Story of the International Sweethearts of Rhythm by Karen Deans
- Red Bird Sings: The Story of Zitkala-Sa, Native American Author, Musician, and Activist by Gina Capaldi
- Odetta, the Queen of Folk by Samantha Thornhill
- The Little Piano Girl: The Story of Mary Lou Williams by Ann Ingalls
- Strange Fruit: Billie Holiday and the Power of a Protest Song by Gary Golio
- Mama Africa!: How Miriam Makeba Spread Hope with Her Song by Kathryn Erskine
- Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker by Patricia Hruby Powell
- Coretta Scott King by Kathleen Krull
- The Legendary Miss Lena Horne by Carole Boston Weatherford
- Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music by Margarita Engle
- Who Was Selena? by Max Bisantz
- Who Was Aretha Franklin? by Nico Medina
- Libba: The Magnificent Musical Life of Elizabeth Cotten by Laura Veirs
- Leontyne Price: Voice of a Century by Carole Boston Weatherford
- Nina: Jazz Legend and Activist Nina Simone by Alice Brière-Haquet
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Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: The Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by Carole Boston Weatherford
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Ada’s Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay by Susan Hood
