To honor the struggles and achievements of Black individuals, February is recognized as Black History Month. Over the years, there has been a rise in recognition of Black excellence in the entertainment industry as artists make remarkable impacts with their craft.
The hardships, past and present, African Americans have endured to achieve their rights will never be forgotten. This month we also celebrate the achievements, representation, and impact these individuals have made. Many of pop culture’s most prominent celebrity idols are Black Americans like Lizzo, Janet Jackson, Viola Davis, Alicia Keys, Kendrick Lamar and Pharrell Williams.
The greater inclusivity of the entertainment industry has made room for an exponential growth in Black representation. Senior Grace Tomlinson listens to many of these artists and recognizes their impact on society. “I believe Black artists have become so popular amongst society because of the message they share. Each of the most known Black singers and actors have a clear purpose in why they share their craft and it is inspiring to many fans.”
For years, African Americans were denied basic rights and treated as unequal to other races. The entertainment industry has been known for underrepresentation and underfunding Black artists. Historically, Black actors, singers, artists have been given less opportunity to make their mark in the industry and have been neglected from having their work showcased.
The 2023 Grammy Awards marked history for actress Viola Davis as she became the third African American female to achieve the EGOT status, joining Whoopi Goldberg and Jennifer Hudson. This is an astounding achievement as she has been awarded an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. In the history of award shows, only 18 individuals have received this honor.
At the 65th annual Grammys show held on Feb. 5, Davis cemented her status as EGOT when she was awarded a Grammy for the Best Audiobook, Narration and Storytelling Recording for her memoir, “Finding Me.”
In her acceptance speech, Davis profoundly said, “I wrote this book to honor the 6-year-old Viola — to honor her life, her joy, her trauma, her everything.”
Many Black artists, singers and actors, have been given a voice at awards ceremonies, using this platform to shed light on their “why” through achieving awards. Dedicating their works to their children, previous hardships, trauma and historical leaders, these artists are spreading positivity and creating cultural change through their craft.
One of the many Black artists that were recognized at the 2023 Grammy Awards was singer Lizzo. She was awarded Record of the Year for ‘About Damn Time.’ Leah Sarnoff from Entertainment Tonight noted that in Lizzo’s acceptance speech, she said, ““Now that I’m up here and I’m calm, I want to dedicate this award to Prince. When we lost Prince, I decided to dedicate my life to making positive music.”
In a time when positive music wasn’t popular, Lizzo felt misunderstood. She wanted to make a change to the standard so everyone could feel accepted. Lizzo dedicated her songs to encourage self-love and she often recognizes that her fellow artists, including Prince and Beyonce, had a huge role in her motivation to make this change with her work.
Lizzo has created a name for herself and is recognized by many for the unique message she spreads. Tomlinson, an avid fan, believes Lizzo has opened the doors for accepting all body types and looks. “Lizzo has broken the stereotype of what a celebrity ‘should’ look like. Her music is influential because she promotes self-love for all. Lizzo teaches others to be proud of who they are, and to not be ashamed for not fitting a certain mold.”
Many Black artists have significantly influenced society today and made a remarkable impact. Though circumstances have not always been equal for those of racial differences, there has been prominent representation of Black artists amongst the entertainment industry. February is marked as Black History month, but each day we celebrate the progress made and pay tribute to the previous injustices Black individuals have endured.
