Fellow Rotarians,
I am closing out February with a couple of recommendations for music and movies to celebrate Black History Month! As many of you know, I shop for music more than the average person. (Shocker, I know.) I still love physical media and genuinely enjoy the tactile experience of putting a needle down on a record, flipping a cassette, and/or spinning a compact disc in a Walkman.
Each February, I make it a point to celebrate Black History Month by intentionally seeking out music from Black artists I’ve never heard or experienced before.
This article serves three purposes:
- First, it potentially pushes me out of my 'comfort zone' and helps me explore and better understand Black history and culture.
- Second, it gives me an excuse to support a local record shop and potentially the artist and/or the estate that benefits from their record sales.
- Third, it gives me something meaningful to share with all of you.
Adam's 2026 Black History Month Media Picks
(Links are to non-Amazon sources to better support the artists and/or estates. Most of these are also available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, etc.)
Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021) Directed by Questlove
In 1969, filmmaker Hal Tulchin recorded the Harlem Cultural Festival — often referred to as “Black Woodstock.” The festival took place over six Sundays between June 29 and August 24 at Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park) in Harlem. The footage sat largely unseen for decades until Questlove brought it to life in this incredible documentary.
Available on Disney+ or Hulu with a subscription, or for digital purchase (often under $5). Also available on Blu-ray:
https://www.deepdiscount.com/
The Long Road to Freedom: An Anthology of Black Music (2001) Conceived and produced by Harry Belafonte
A comprehensive 5-CD and 1-DVD box set documenting the evolution of African-rooted music in the New World — from the 17th century through the early 20th century. It’s ambitious, educational, and powerful. Get it on discogs or find it at your local record shop!
Ifetayo (1976) – Black Truth Rhythm Band
Originally recorded in Port of Spain and re-released in 2024. Total ’70s funk meets Caribbean-influenced soul. Bandcamp:
https://soundwayrecords.
Victim of Love (2013) – Charles Bradley
A brilliant throwback to ’60s-style R&B. Modern recording, classic soul feel.
(Recommended by another Adam I know at Down in the Valley.) Bandcamp:
https://charlesbradley.
Talkin' About My Time (1963) - Eugene Rhodes
A Story of Rotary Connections:
At the last Rotarians on the Loose, I was talking with Laura Thomas and her partner John about how they met--at the U of M Law School. As the conversation unfolded, we discovered we shared a mutual friend: Judge/Attorney/Referee Jason Hutchison — “Hutch.” Hutch is a close friend of theirs and a very old friend of mine. I hadn’t spoken with him in nearly 20 years. That conversation reminded me that I had a record in my possession that I bought with him in mind--all those years ago.
To make a long story longer: Hutch heard this record on NPR during a road trip about twenty years ago. At the time, he mentioned that if I ever came across it, I should scoop it up. Streaming wasn’t an option back then, so I tracked down the LP and bought it. And then, as sometimes happens, life happened--and we lost touch. However…
Because of this Rotary connection, I was invited to a breakfast Laura and John had planned with Hutch a few days later, but I couldn’t attend due my prior commitment to a Rotary fundraising planning meeting. Instead, I scheduled brunch with him the following week and finally gave him the record nearly twenty years after I bought it. Recorded by folklorist Bruce Jackson and released on the Folk-Legacy label, Talkin' About My Time features Eugene Rhodes, who at the time of recording was serving a 10-to-25-year sentence at Indiana State Prison in Michigan City. It’s a rare slice of blues from a musician who had been playing since the 1920s alongside artists like Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Boy Fuller, and Buddy Moss. This record is loaded with raw folk, rhythm and blues. It touches on tradition, religion, and murder. Yes. You read that correctly!
You can listen to this unusual slice of Americana, Folk & Blues free via the Smithsonian:
https://folkways.si.edu/
Though I indulged in a lot of other African American music (and Wales-based Shirley Bassey) this February, these are some of the highlights I found most compelling to share. If you give any of these a spin (or a stream), I’d love to hear what you think.
Yours in music,
Adam C. Kooyer
Public Image Chair / 2026-2027 President Elect
Minneapolis Uptown Rotary Club