Essay on Major Contributions of Minority Groups

The account of the U.S immigration focuses on the assimilation and acculturation of immigrants and their kids to the U.S society. These ethnic groups have significantly contributed to the American culture by performing arts and other cultural pursuits. Immigrants are pushed by their selectivity and marginality to venture into high-risk career paths which give a high reward for creativity (Hirschman, 2013). Due to the presence of many talented immigrants in academia and Hollywood, American institutions have become more open and meritocratic to innovation. The contributions of these ethnic groups to the American cultures cannot be underestimated. In this paper, I will address how African Americans have contributed to the growth music industry.

Black Americans are credited for their strong contribution to the U.S music industry. North Jazz was invented during the great migration that occurred after World War I. The unique sound made many black artists to gain attention, and Louis Armstrong became very famous at the time. During this period (the 1920s), Jazz music was very sensation and highly pleased the white audience. The white people highly appreciated the art work of the musician, and up to date, the music is recognized as the turning points of how the Black people were viewed. In the 1950s, black Americans made a great move by combining jazz with the rhythmic tune of swing and singers producing music that came to be known as Rock n roll. Many artists such as Little Richard produced these kinds of music, but Elvis rocked most. Artist Elvis Presley turned to rock music into a white genre. Most of the black Americans who produced Rock stars did not gain any publicity. This is the reason why they came up with R&b which was a smash hit, and it entirely belonged to the black folks. Marvin Gaye is among the artists who became stars as a result of the new music ("African American contributions to American Music," 2017).

A new age of music rolled back in the 1970s when Funk Music was produced, and it became a smashing success. Some of the artists who became famous as a result of Funk sound include Fire, Earth Wind, and Donna Summer. Soul Train also highly contributed in making the music more popular. The music was specifically meant for African Americans, but the genre was highly listened and watched in white households. A new genre was born in the late 1970s- Hip Hop. The music was ignored in its early years after it was released, but at the beginning of the 80s, the music turned to be a smashing success. Some of the black artists who become famous as a result of the music include Eminem and Vanilla Ice ("African American contributions to American Music," 2017). Up to date, R&B, Hip Hop, and Rock music are top sellers in the U.S, although Jazz is not very popular today, it a major part of U.S history. During slavery period, African used songs to help them cope with pain during these hard times. This is the reason why they have been able to invent and maintain the globes most successful music.

Music industry highly contributes to the learning of American culture since many immigrants are highly dependent on it. Black Americans are talented, and their rich and expansive creativity contribute largely to American music and other different realms of artistic endeavor. American institutions such as schools and sports teams should seek talent wherever they can find it regardless of the ethnic group that an individual comes from in the country. The presence of many immigrants in the country has contributed to valuing ability and skills over social pedigree. All ethnic groups should be nurtured to exploit their talents and be involved in the learning of American cultures.

References

African American contributions to American Music - Historum - History Forums. (2017). Historum.com. Retrieved from http://historum.com/art-cultural-history/29198-African-American-contributions-American-music.html

Hirschman, C. (2013). The Contributions of Immigrants to American Culture. Daedalus, 142(3), 26-47.