African-American music (ORIGINATE) in the slavery period of the 19th century. It has had a tremendous impact on American music since then. Many songs have become a symbol of (SLAVE) , human rights and the fight for a better life.Today African-American music consists mainly of Negro spirituals, jazz, ragtime, rhythm and blues as well as soul.
In the 18th century slaves sang spirituals after converting to (CHRIST) . They sang them at work on (PLANT) . Later on they also started dancing to these tunes. Such songs have been the core of African American life for 300 years.
After the Civil War African Americans found (EMPLOY) in military bands. They developed a new style of music called ragtime from which jazz emerged. These musical forms influenced music throughout the USA in the 20th century.
At the beginning of the 20th century African American music started to gain (POPULAR) with musicals written for Broadway. Black singers performed in famous opera houses. In the first decades blues and jazz spread throughout the country. As time went on African Americans were even allowed to study in famous music schools.
In the 40s and 50s African Americans also participated in the (DEVELOP) of a new genre of music called rock'n'roll. Although the more famous (MUSIC) of this period were white, there were many black (PERFORM) like Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and Ike and Tina Turner.
In the 1960s Motown Records became a (SUCCEED) platform for African American musicians. Star performers included The Miracles, Marvin Gaye and the Supremes.
In the 1980s Michael Jackson became the most popular Black musician with his record breaking albums. However, there were many solo artists including Lionel Richie and Whitney Houston.
