Black Music Month: A Timeline of Memorable Moments

1818-Frank Johnson becomes the first Black to publish sheet music.
1899-Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag" sells one million copies of sheet music.
1910-W.C.Handy's "Memphis Blues" becomes the one of the first blues records.
1921-The Pace Phonograph Company is the first Black-owned and operated record company
1932-Thomas Dorsey pens "Precious Lord, Take My Hand"
1937-La Julia Rhea becomes the first Black to sing with the Chicago Civic Opera during the regular season.
1943-Muddy Waters combines blues and amplified guitar to create "urbin blues"
1950's-Mahalia Jackson appears as the first gospel singer on "The Ed Sullivan Show"
1955-Marian Anderson becomes the first Black to sing principal role with the Metroplitan Opera
1959-Count(William)Basie and Ella Fitzgerald become the first Blacks to win Grammy awards.
1960-Chubby Checker records "the Twist",which is the only record to reach number one on the pop charts twice (1960 and 1962).
1963-James Brown self-finances "Life at the Apollo" concert alblum.
1964-Quincy Jones becomes the first Black vice-president of a white record company (Mercury Records).
1964-Sam Cooke murdered.
1979-Ray Charles is the first to perform the Georgia State Assembly. His song, "Georgia On My Mind" is made the Offical Georgia state song.
1984-Michael Jackson's Thriller is noted by the Guinness Book of World Records as the best-selling album of all time.
1984-Wynton Marsalis receives Grammy awards in both the classical and jazz soloist genres.
1986-Aretha Franklin becomes the first Black women induucted into the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
1988-"Yo!MTV Raps" becomes the first hip-hop show on mainstream media television.