As February rolls around again, it signals another Black History Month to celebrate, but now more than ever is its celebration important. 2016 was a year full of racially motivated attacks by white officers on black men, which spurred a nationwide protest in the form of #blacklivesmatter. The message of #blacklivesmatter, and the notion of equal treatment under the law in general resounded in racially poignant statements in music from the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé, Solange and other notable artists. The events of the past year proved that the acknowledgement of injustice as well as the unsightly history of such injustices are quintessential to combatting the repetition of history itself. Black history in America is American history plain and simply, and this playlist reflects such history through the voices and the stories of the people living through it. Likewise, this playlist is also a celebration of black culture. Rather than a compilation of the latest and greatest black figureheads in music, this playlist is a retrospective of the black experience through time; the problems and achievements along the way, looking forward and reflecting both inward and outward to being black in America as a whole. Go here to listen to the playlist in Spotify or enjoy below.
No Nina Simone!?!?