[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 3, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2006]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 3CFR7907]

[Page 63]
 
Proclamation 7907 of June 1, 2005

Black Music Month, 2005

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

During Black Music Month, we pay tribute to a rich musical tradition and 
honor the many contributions African-American musicians, singers, and 
composers have made to the culture of our Nation and to the world. This 
powerful, moving, and soulful music speaks to every heart, lifting us in 
times of sorrow and helping us celebrate in times of joy.
Black music's origins are found in the work songs and spirituals that 
bore witness to the cruelty of bondage and the strength of faith. In the 
strains of those songs, we hear the voice of hope in the face of 
injustice. From those roots, black music has grown into a diverse 
collection of styles, and it continues to evolve today. Black music 
captures a part of the American spirit and continues to have a profound 
impact on our country.
This month is an opportunity to reflect upon the achievements of 
African-American artists and to look forward to the future. We remember 
Robert Johnson, Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Ray 
Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and countless others for their 
love of music and their pioneering and passionate spirit. We celebrate 
today's musicians who continue to build upon the rich and vital heritage 
of black music.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of 
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and 
laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2005 as Black Music 
Month. I encourage all Americans to learn more about the history of 
black music and to enjoy the great contributions of African-American 
musicians.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June, 
in the year of our Lord two thousand five, and of the Independence of 
the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-ninth.
GEORGE W. BUSH

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