African-American Music Appreciation Month, 2020

Vol. 85

Friday,

No. 109

June 5, 2020

Part VI

The President

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Proclamation 10044--African-American Music Appreciation Month, 2020

Proclamation 10045--Great Outdoors Month, 2020

Proclamation 10046--National Caribbean-American Heritage Month, 2020

Proclamation 10047--National Homeownership Month, 2020

Proclamation 10048--National Ocean Month, 2020

Executive Order 13926--Advancing International Religious Freedom

Memorandum of June 2, 2020--Providing Continued Federal Support for
Governors' Use of the National Guard To Respond to COVID-19 and To
Facilitate Economic Recovery

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 10044 of May 29, 2020

African-American Music Appreciation Month, 2020

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

The lyrics and melodies of African-American music have
played a powerful role in defining America's unique
soundscape. From the soulful streets of the Big Easy to
the recording studios of Los Angeles, African-American
music has shaped our American culture. During African-
American Music Appreciation Month, we pay tribute to
the monumental achievements of African-American artists
who pioneered and evolved the blues, jazz, gospel, rock
and roll, rap, hip-hop, and other iconic genres.

Throughout our Nation's history, African-American music
has expressed the pain and suffering brought on by
injustice as well as the faith and joy of the resilient
American spirit. Sam Cooke's triumphant ``A Change Is
Gonna Come'' gave wind to the sails of millions of
African Americans in their righteous fight for equality
during the Civil Rights Movement. The divine voice of
Mahalia Jackson, the ``Queen of Gospel,'' helped heal
our grieving Nation in the days following the
assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. At major
sporting events, African-American musical icons, such
as Whitney Houston and Ray Charles, have captivated
America with striking renditions of patriotic ballads
such as the National Anthem and ``America the
Beautiful.'' This month, we lost the Architect of Rock
and Roll, Richard Wayne Penniman--better known and
beloved as Little Richard--who is responsible for
breaking down racial barriers through the universal
love of his music. He was an unforgettable entertainer,
an innovator, and an American icon. Our Nation mourns
his passing.

This month, we express our appreciation for the
countless contributions of African-American singers,
songwriters, and musicians, whose remarkable talents
continue to inspire the soul of our Nation. With
classic guitar riffs, memorable hymns, and uplifting
beats, the works of African-American artists undeniably
represent true musical excellence.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim June 2020 as African-
American Music Appreciation Month. I call upon public
officials, educators, and all the people of the United
States to observe this month with appropriate
activities and programs that raise awareness and
appreciation of African-American music.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord two
thousand twenty, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and forty-fourth.