Music and Some Highly Musical People

"Music and Some Highly Musical People" by James Monroe Trotter is a history of African-American music published in 1878. This pioneering work offers biographies of over forty Black musicians and groups, from classical soloists to gospel singers. Written during an era focused on "uplifting the race," Trotter navigates a delicate balance between celebrating Black musical achievement and reassuring white audiences. The book represents the first attempt to assess American music across multiple genres in a single volume, influencing generations of music historians and scholars.

Music and Some Highly Musical People, by James M. Trotter. Republished by OpenStories from Project Gutenberg eBook #28056.