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The National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) celebrates its first year with a Year-In-Review video highlighting the museum’s many accomplishments, partnerships and milestones. (watch above)
NMAAM opened on MLK Day, January 18, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn., with the vision of being the premier global destination for music lovers of all generations to learn, inspire and educate our community on the many contributions Black artists have made to American culture and music.
In the video, President and CEO of NMAAM, Henry Beecher Hicks, III spoke to the organization welcoming over 100,000 visitors, including many world-renowned recording artists like Earth Wind & Fire, H.E.R., Bobby Brown, Garth Brooks and more.
In its first year, NMAAM hosted its inaugural Black Music Month celebration on June 19, or Juneteenth weekend of 2021in the space. Members and guests experienced a museum dedication, Black Music Summit and seventh annual Celebration of Legends honoring Quincy Jones, Chaka Khan, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson and The Fisk Jubilee Singers with the Rhapsody & Rhythm Award.
Since its founding, NMAAM has prioritized education. In 2021, the museum served over 43,000 students across the country through continued online programming.
Hicks also shed light on the Nissan-sponsored NMAAM free days, which opens the doors free of charge to guests every Wednesday throughout February for Black History Month. He also mentioned anticipated programming specifically for Historically Black College and University students, such as Fine Tuning: Masterclass Series for Aspiring Artists and offering a Black Music Business Certification Program.
