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The “Queen of Disco” Donna Summer was born in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston in 1948. “Love to Love You Baby” was released in 1975 and became the single that would catapult Summer to international disco stardom. #APeoplesJourney #SmithsonianMusic #APeoplesGroove 
The 17-minute long track, featuring Summer repeating the title lyrics in her signature ethereal vocal style, reached no. 2 on the American pop chart, becoming a disco standard. Summer would go on to release a string of hit disco and pop albums in the next decade #SmithsonianMusic
Her 1979 album Bad Girls, however, showcased Summer’s notable ability to transcend the disco genre - in addition to her pop sound, Summer also incorporated R&B, soul, and even rock influences into what would become the most successful album of her career. #SmithsonianMusic
Marching bands are rooted in military training exercises & combat formations. AA marching bands & drumlines honored service in U.S. conflicts, while highlighting the absence of civil rights despite sacrifices to defend the nation. #APeoplesJourney #Homecoming #SmithsonianMusic
While laws prevented black people from carrying weapons, they were allowed to hold musical instruments. Many were assigned to the fife & drum corps—musicians that played small flutes & drums to boost the spirits of fighters, a tradition that goes back to the Revolutionary War.
Music became an expression of solidarity & pride. Marching bands evolved from their military roots to become vehicles of civil disobedience during Jim Crow segregation—and as a way to reclaim space.
The military’s only all-black female band battled & won: po.st/eXx6ci
The military’s only all-black female band battled & won: po.st/eXx6ci
