On Tuesday night at The Hunt and Fish Club in the heart of Times Square a private party took place in celebration of The National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) which is scheduled to be built in the Fall of 2019. That night, CEO H. Beecher III discussed the upcoming project with a slideshow of it’s construction and timeline to guests as they sipped on cocktails and ate tasty hors d’oeuvres from the posh steakhouse.
The Museum will be the first of it’s kind to preserve the legacy and celebrate the accomplishments of the many music genres created, influenced, or inspired by African Americans. It is fitting that it’s location is in the heart of downtown Nashville. From country to classical and everything in between, Nashville is internationally heralded as Music City. Housed in a 56,000 square foot space in the former Nashville Convention Center, the Museum will be within walking distance to the Country Music Hall of Fame, Bridgestone Arena and the Ryman Auditorium.
The importance of the Museum as an educational hub which preserves and celebrates the rich influence Black people have had on America’s music is paramount. The history it will bring to visitors is one that has never been told before – which shares how a distinct group of people used their artistry to connect more than 50 genres, ranging from folk to hip-hop to blues to this country. Visitors will experience the “Rivers of Rhythm Pathway” where they will be taken from the beginnings of American music with Southern religious and blues traditions to the most impactful hip-hop and Rhythm & Blues. It will showcase how many of today’s most renowned artists are connected to the traditions born out of the African American experience, with captivating scenes and quotes from the last century. The Museum also hosts a variety of youth and adult programs designed to educate and inspire music enthusiasts of all ages to appreciate a variety of music forms.