The National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc. is one of the oldest organizations in the United States dedicated to the preservation, encouragement, and advocacy of all genres of the music of African-Americans. NANM had its beginning on May 3, 1919 in Washington, D.C. at a temporary initial conference of “Negro” musicians under the leadership of Henry Grant and

Nora Holt Nora Douglas Holt (November 8, 1884 or 1885 – January 25, 1974) was a singer, composer and music critic, who was born in Kansas and was the first African American to receive a master's degree in music in the United States. She composed more t ...

. In concert with the Chicago Music Association, its first national convention was held in Chicago, Illinois in the same year. The organization is dedicated to encouraging an inclusive musical culture throughout the country. Within NANM, members lend their support and influence—educators and professional musicians share their musical knowledge, amateurs and enthusiasts grow in their musical enjoyment, and people of all ages come together to share and participate in the musical experience. Since its inception, NANM has provided encouragement and support to thousands of African American musicians, many of whom have become widely respected figures in music and have contributed significantly to American culture and music history. The organization has awarded scholarships to scores of talented young musicians throughout the country, including

Marian Anderson Marian Anderson (February 27, 1897April 8, 1993) was an American contralto. She performed a wide range of music, from opera to Spiritual (music), spirituals. Anderson performed with renowned orchestras in major concert and recital venues throu ...

(the first scholarship award recipient in 1919), William L. Dawson,

Florence Price Florence Beatrice Price (née Smith; April 9, 1887 – June 3, 1953) was an American classical music, classical composer, pianist, organist and music teacher. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Price was educated at the New England Conservatory of Mus ...

Margaret Bonds Margaret Allison Bonds ( – ) was an American composer, pianist, arranger, and teacher. One of the first Black composers and performers to gain recognition in the United States, she is best remembered today for her popular arrangements of Afric ...

, Warren George Wilson, James Frazier,

Julia Perry Julia Amanda Perry (25 March 1924 – 24 April 1979) was an American classical composer and teacher who combined European classical and neo-classical training with her African-American heritage. Life and education Born in Lexington, Kentucky, ...

Grace Bumbry Grace Melzia Bumbry (born January 4, 1937), an American opera singer, is considered one of the leading mezzo-sopranos of her generation, as well as a major soprano earlier in her career. She is a member of a pioneering generation of African-Ameri ...

, Leon Bates, Joseph Joubert and

Awadagin Pratt Awadagin Pratt (; born March 6, 1966) is a concert pianist born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Life Awadagin Pratt began piano lessons at six with Leslie Sompong and violin lessons at age nine, having moved to Normal, Illinois. With a violin s ...

. Over the years, many international personalities have been presented in performance, including

Lena Horne Lena Mary Calhoun Horne (June 30, 1917 – May 9, 2010) was an American dancer, actress, singer, and civil rights activist. Horne's career spanned more than seventy years, appearing in film, television, and theatre. Horne joined the chorus of th ...

Todd Duncan Robert Todd Duncan (February 12, 1903 – February 28, 1998) was an American baritone opera singer and actor. One of the first African-Americans to sing with a major opera company, Duncan is also noted for appearing as Porgy in the premier produ ...

, John W. Work, R. Nathaniel Dett, Marian Anderson,

Edward Boatner Edward Hammond Boatner (1898–1981) was an American composer who wrote many popular concert arrangements of Black American spirituals. Biography Boatner was educated at Western University in Quindaro, Kansas, Boston Conservatory and recei ...

, Camille Nickerson,

Clarence Cameron White Clarence Cameron White (August 10, 1880 – June 30, 1960) was an American neoromantic composer and concert violinist. Dramatic works by the composer were his best-known, such as the incidental music for the play ''Tambour'' and the opera ''Ouang ...

, Margaret Bonds, Florence B. Price, Etta Moten,

Betty Allen Betty Allen (March 17, 1927 – June 22, 2009) was an American operatic mezzo-soprano who had an active international singing career during the 1950s through the 1970s. In the latter part of her career her voice acquired a contralto-like darkenin ...

Natalie Hinderas Natalie Leota Henderson Hinderas (June 15, 1927 – July 22, 1987) was an American pianist, composer and professor at Pennsylvania's Temple University. Hinderas was born in Oberlin, Ohio to a musical family. Her father (Abram) was a jazz piani ...

Adele Addison Adele Addison (born July 24, 1925) is an American lyric soprano who was a figure in the classical music world during the 1950s and 1960s. Although she did appear in several operas, Addison spent most of her career performing in recital and conc ...

Kermit Moore Kermit Moore (March 11, 1929 – November 11, 2013) was an American conductor, cellist, and composer. Early life and education Of African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an eth ...

Simon Estes Simon Estes (born March 2, 1938) is an operatic bass-baritone of African-American descent who had a major international opera career beginning in the 1960s. He has sung at most of the world's major opera houses as well as in front of presiden ...

George Shirley George Irving Shirley (born April 18, 1934) is an American operatic tenor, and was the first African-American tenor to perform a leading role at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Early life Shirley was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and r ...

Robert McFerrin Robert Keith McFerrin Sr. (March 19, 1921 – November 24, 2006) was an American operatic baritone and the first African-American man to sing at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. His voice was described by critic Albert Goldberg in the '' ...

Shirley Verrett Shirley Verrett (May 31, 1931 – November 5, 2010) was an American operatic mezzo-soprano who successfully transitioned into soprano roles, i.e. soprano sfogato. Verrett enjoyed great fame from the late 1960s through the 1990s, particularly wel ...

Jessye Norman Jessye Mae Norman (September 15, 1945 – September 30, 2019) was an American opera singer and recitalist. She was able to perform dramatic soprano roles, but refused to be limited to that voice type. A commanding presence on operatic, concert ...

, Carl Rossini Diton,

Sanford Allen Sanford Allen (born 1939) is an American classical violinist. At the age of 10, he began studying violin at the Juilliard School of Music and continued at the Mannes School of Music under Vera Fonaroff. He was the first African-American regular mem ...

Derek Lee Ragin Derek Lee Ragin (born June 17, 1958) is an American countertenor. _Biography.html" ;"title="Derek Lee Ragin > Biography">Derek Lee Ragin > Biographyallmusic Early life Derek Ragin was born in West Point, New York and grew up in Newark, New Jerse ...

, the Uptown String Quartet, Esther Hinds, Ruby Hinds,

Wilhelmenia Fernandez Wilhelmenia Fernandez, sometimes billed as Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez, is an American soprano. She was born in Philadelphia in 1949. She appeared in the 1981 film ''Diva'' by French director Jean-Jacques Beineix.HEATON, MICHAEL.Soprano Wi ...

, the Hinds Sisters,

William Warfield William Caesar Warfield (January 22, 1920 – August 25, 2002) was an American concert bass-baritone singer and actor, known for his appearances in stage productions, Hollywood films, and television programs. A prominent African American artist ...

, Benjamin Matthews, the Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers,

Harolyn Blackwell Harolyn Blackwell (born November 23, 1955) is an American lyric coloratura soprano who has performed in many of the world's finest opera houses, concert halls, and theaters in operas, oratorios, recitals, and Broadway musicals. Initially known ...

Billy Taylor Billy Taylor (July 24, 1921 – December 28, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and from 1994 was the ...

, Delphin and Romain,

Greg Hopkins Greg Hopkins (born November 16, 1971) is a former Arena Football League wide receiver/linebacker with the Albany Firebirds and the Los Angeles Avengers. High school career Greg Hopkins was born in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, United States. He a ...

Martina Arroyo Martina Arroyo (born February 2, 1937) is an American operatic soprano who had a major international opera career from the 1960s through the 1980s. She was part of the first generation of black opera singers to achieve wide success. Arroyo first ...

, and

Nina Simone Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone (), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blues, ...

(Eunice Waymon). Clinicians and lecturers of note include Carl Diton, Warner Lawson, Frederick Hall,

Kemper Harreld William Kemper Harreld (January 31, 1885, Muncie, Indiana – 1971) was an American concert violinist. He was also a pianist and organist. A graduate of Chicago Musical College, Harreld performed until 1911 when he became head of the music dep ...

, Wendell Whalum,

Eileen Southern Eileen Jackson Southern (February 19, 1920 – October 13, 2002) was an American musicologist, researcher, author, and teacher. Southern's research focused on black American musical styles, musicians, and composers; she also published on ea ...

, Doris Evans McGinty, Alain Locke,

Sylvia Olden Lee Sylvia Olden Lee (June 29, 1917 – April 10, 2004) was an American vocal coach and accompanist. She was the first African-American to be employed by the Metropolitan Opera. Her fields of expertise were European classical music and Negro spiritua ...

James Cleveland James Edward Cleveland (December 5, 1931 – February 9, 1991) was an American gospel singer, musician, and composer. Known as the King of Gospel, Cleveland was a driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound by incorporating trad ...

, Raoul Abdul, Matthew Kennedy, Geneva Handy Southall, Sowah Mensah, Willis Patterson, Roland Carter,

Brazeal Dennard Brazeal Dennard (January 1, 1929 – July 5, 2010) was an American singer, educator, Choral director, and musical arranger. He has been a significant contributor in the preservation and revitalization of the spiritual musical form. His ef ...

, Robert Harris, and

. There are several regional chapters of the national organization. NANM hosts a national convention annually in various cities.

Presidents of the National Association of Negro Musicians

* Henry Grant (1919-1922) *

(1922-1924) *

Robert Nathaniel Dett Robert Nathaniel Dett (October 11, 1882 – October 2, 1943), often known as R. Nathaniel Dett and Nathaniel Dett, was a Black Canadian-American composer, organist, pianist, choral director, and music professor. Born and raised in Canada until ...

(1924-1926) * Carl Rossini Diton (1916-1928) * John Wesley Jones (1926-1930) * Lillian Lemon (1930-1933) * Maude Roberts George (1933-1935) * Camille Nickerson (1935-1938) *

(1938-1940) * Mary Cardwell Dawson (1940-1942) * Clarence H. Wilson (1942-1952, 1965-1968) * Roscoe Polin (1952-1960) * Clarence Billups (1960-1965) * Theodore Charles Stone (1968-1975) *

(1975-1980) * Betty Jackson King (1980-1985) *

(1985-1990) * Willis Patterson (1990-1995) * Uzee Brown Jr. (1995-2002) * Roland Carter (2002-2008) * David Morrow (2008-2014) * Byron Smith (2014-2019) *Anne-Marie Hudley Simmons (2019-present)

Mission statement

NANM promotes, preserves, and supports all genres of music created or performed by African-Americans.

Purposes

* The promotion of the music and the development of knowledge and appreciation of music composed by all persons, but especially those of African descent. * The establishment of a library where Afro-American historical information concerning composers, artists, and musicians who have contributed to the cultural and fine arts of Black people can be gathered for compilation and publication. * To afford a central location for the gathering and/or purchase of library collections of sheet music, compositions, and original documents from which out-of-print works may be compiled for historic use; to conduct research on the works of composers and artists of African descent and to publish or copyright the results of such research. * To establish a scholarship and grant on national, regional, and local levels to assist talented youth in the field of musical and/or cultural arts in education. * To foster a broader understanding of the contributions of persons of African descent in all fields of music and in the cultural arts.

References

External links

* {{authority control Ethnic organizations based in the United States Musical groups established in 1919 Cultural heritage of the United States 1919 establishments in Washington, D.C. African-American music