In celebration of Filipinx American Heritage Month, we have put together a feature commemorating Filipinx artists and creators. For more on the history of Filipinx American Heritage Month, please take a look at this piece on the celebration from the Asian Art Museum. We recognize that not everyone being celebrated this month aligns with using the label Filipinx that we will be using for the title of this feature. Several terms are more accepted due to different movements in gender equity and nonbinary visibility as well as a collective push back on terms rooted in colonialism. We invite any and all people to celebrate this month and use this feature to explore more about the wide and diverse range of art, film, literature, and general culture of Filipinx people.
For more on the topic of terms and labels, please read Kate Cabigao’s article on Vice, “Are You Filipino or Filipinx?”, as well as Lauren Golangco’s article on Tatler Asia, “Filipinx: Why is the Gender-Neutral Term So Controversial?”
Resources for Further Exploration
In addition to the resources we've gathered in this feature, we've also curated a collection of music by artists from or with familial connections to the Philippines. While certainly not comprehensive, we have sought to include a representative sampling of genres and sounds from across time but with an emphasis on contemporary musicians and styles. To learn more about the contributions of Filipinx artists to musical history and culture, take a look at some of the resources we used to make this playlist below:
For more on this topic, and this month-long celebration, consult some of the following resources from Indiana University:
A sampling of scholarly articles from our electronic databases relevant to Filipinx identity and culture:
In May, we celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. This feature highlights writers, scholars, filmmakers, artists, and creatives who identify as Native Hawaiian and/or Pacific Islander (NHPI). NHPI refers to those whose origins are the indigenous peoples of Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia. Polynesia includes Hawai'i (Native Hawaiian, or Kānaka Maoli), Samoa, American Samoa, the Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Tokelau, Tahiti, and Tonga, as well as the Māori of Aotearoa (New Zealand). Micronesia includes Guam (Guamanian or Chamorro), Mariana Islands, Saipan, Palau, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae, Marshall Islands, and Kiribati (I-Kiribat). Melanesia includes Fiji, Papau New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu (Ni-Vanuatu).
By grouping NHPI with Asian Americans, whether in government statistics or AAPI celebrations, we often end up overlooking those of NHPI descent. For example, the impact of COVID-19 on NHPI communities went underreported and overlooked by government health agencies. Additionally, the very voices of Pacific Islander (or Pasifika) people are ignored by the United States government which does not allow the more than 3.5 million people living in the U.S. territories, including Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa, to vote or hold meaningful political power. In this guide, we have assembled a collection of academic texts and journals, fiction, poetry, films, podcasts, organizations and more created by Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. Explore the organization tab to learn more about ways to get involved with or donate to NHPI organizations.
Video: Are You “AAPI” or “Asian American”? It's Complicated. A People's History of Asian America, PBS Voices (2021).
In addition to the resources we have compiled for this feature from our collections, we've also curated a collection of music that celebrates the many cultures and voices from Hawai’i and the Pacific Islands. This playlist features traditional and contemporary artists from these regions who blend their ancestral languages, instruments, and stories with modern influences and styles. This includes the soothing sounds of the ukulele and steel guitar, the powerful chants and rhythms of the hula, and many other sonic expressions, as well as artists who are bringing their experiences to genres like hip hop, electronic, and heavy metal that are often associated with Western cultures. To learn more about the contributions of artists from this region to musical history and culture, take a look at some of the resources we used to make this playlist below:
Note: To enjoy the playlist in full, click on the white Spotify icon in the upper-right corner of the playlist, and press the "like" (♡) button in the application to save.
If you would like to engage more with this month-long celebration, the Libraries have curated a number of interrelated resources and features to continue and deepen the conversation. You'll find these, below:
There are also a number of resources on the Bloomington campus, including:
In addition to the those featured below, check out the journals published by the University of Hawai'i Press and this Introduction to Pacific Island Studies LibGuide compiled by the University of Hawai'i Leeward Community College Library. You can also search "Pacific Area--Periodicals" or "Hawaii--Periodicals" in IUCAT to find journals and publications available to you as an IU student.
For additional academic texts, try browsing the following series:
Intersections: Asian and Pacific American Transcultural Studies Series Edited by Russell Leong, David K. Yoo, and Mary Kunmi Yu Danico
A collection of biographies and memoirs can be found on the Bess Press and Native Books websites.
The Poetry Foundation has created a collection of Pacific Islander poetry featuring contemporary poets, poems, and articles exploring the history and poetics of the Pacific.
Featured below is a collection of films, shorts, documentaries, and television made by and centering Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. For additional resources see the following websites:
Articles about Pasifika film and television:
Films
Bamboo Ridge Press was founded in 1978 to publish literature by, for, and about Hawaiʻi’s people. They currently publish two volumes a year: a literary journal of poetry and fiction featuring work by both emerging and established writers, and a book by a single author or an anthology focused on a special theme. "In forty plus years we’ve published a diverse catalog of poetry, prose, screenplays, stage plays, novels, and more." Explore their digital collections, oral history project, blog, and books. You can also access "Bamboo Ridge: The Hawaii writers quarterly" through IUCAT.
Tropic Editions (TE) is a Honolulu-based publishing imprint that supports artist-driven projects imbued with a sense of place. Launched in 2018 by Marika Emi, an arts organizer, chef, and designer, TE seeks to bolster and establish connections between seemingly disparate locales and identities. With a curatorial emphasis on experimentation, social criticism, and collaboration, the press is dedicated to drawing Hawaiʻi into an existing global art discourse on tropicality, post-colonialism, and creative production.
Kamehameha Publishing is an ‘Ōiwi Hawai‘i publisher of high-quality, community-based materials that amplify ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, ʻike Hawaiʻi, and kuanaʻike Hawaiʻi. Utilizing a range of print and digital media, Kamehameha Publishing delivers rich and engaging Hawaiian culture-based educational content for haumāna of all ages in both formal and informal settings. Established in 1888 as Kamehameha School Press, today’s twenty-first-century Kamehameha Publishing carries on a rich and robust tradition that enabled the near fully literate nineteenth-century Hawaiian Kingdom to produce one of the largest archives of Native writings in the world.
Bess Press Inc. is a family owned publishing company located in Kaimukī. For over 43 years the Press has been creating and developing content for Hawai‘i and the greater Pacific. Today, the Press has grown to become a leading educational content producer of Hawaiian and Pacific Island studies curriculum for use in preschool through high school. Their work is entirely dedicated toward enhancing the multiple voices, cultures, and shared stories that make up Hawaiʻi and Oceania. Bess Press has published over 700 titles within the genres of children’s literature, language, history, coloring and activity, biography & memoir, as well as informational and nature guides, along with custom publishing projects.
Native Books is an independent bookstore and publisher focused on books and literature from Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. Kanaka ʻōiwi epistemology is shared through information and knowledge presented in a variety of forms and methods including the written word, ʻike kūpuna, discussions, podcasts, live streams, out of print and reprinted publications, game playing, songs and music, and most of all gatherings. Native Books also holds rare and out of print book auctions, and supported the “Aupuni Artwall,” a community gallery featuring Kanaka ʻōiwi contemporary artists.
Kaya Press is a group of dedicated writers, artists, readers, and lovers of books working together to publish the most challenging, thoughtful, and provocative literature being produced throughout the Asian and Pacific Island diasporas. "We believe that people’s lives can be changed by literature that pushes us past expectations and out of our comfort zone. We believe in the contagious potential of creativity combined with the means of production. Founded in 1994, Kaya Press has established itself as the premier publisher of cutting-edge Asian and Pacific Islander diasporic writers in the United States. Our diverse list of titles includes experimental poetry, noir fiction, film memoir, avant-garde art, performance pieces, “lost” novels, and everything in between." Check out Milkteeth Books, the intern-run chapbook imprint of Kaya Press.
‘Āina Momona is a Native Hawaiian 501(c)(3) organization founded by Walter Ritte for the purpose of achieving environmental health and sustainability through restoring social justice and Hawaiian sovereignty. ‘Āina Momona is based out of Keawanui Fishpond and Cultural Learning Center on the east end of Moloka‘i in the Ka‘amola ahupua‘a. In partnership with Kamehameha Schools, they manage a 55-acre ancestral Hawaiian fishpond and 8 acres of agricultural land. Due to the ongoing effects of colonization, land development, and climate change there are few fishponds in Hawaiʻi today that are still operable, though many in the community are working to revitalize these crucial, mariculture practices. Their community-led efforts are focused on erosion mitigation and traditional food system revitalization. Their primary goal is to conduct full-scale ahupua‘a restoration led by community members, to transform degraded environments into places of momona, of bounty, once again. Donate here.
Nihi! Indigenous Media. "As indigenous people of Guåhan, the Marianas and the broader Micronesia, we believe that it is our responsibility to help to build for future generations—a world where our traditions, knowledge and connections to the land and ocean are valued and protected. Our model teaches stewardship of our islands and ocean through cultural ownership—that islander children protect and respect their home when they know, love, and feel a personal connection to it. This is our responsibility to our elders and to all of the generations that are to come."
KAHEA is about Hawai`i. About a healthy environment and thriving cultural traditions for Ka Pae'Āina. "In the face of increasing assaults to Hawaii's l'and, ocean, water, native species, culture, and way of life, we are charting a different course. KAHEA is about people. Because empowered people engaged in collective action is what leads to lasting and meaningful change. KAHEA is a thousands-strong alliance of cultural practitioners, environmental advocates, teachers, scientists, resource experts, community leaders, clergy, union members, doctors, health professionals, social workers, students, and concerned individuals around the world, reaching across class, age, income, race and gender."
April is National Arab American Heritage Month, which was first founded by the Arab American Foundation in 2017. We created this feature not only to celebrate Arab American Heritage, but anyone belonging to the AMEMSA+ (Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian) community. Specifically in Media Studies, individuals from or with ties to countries of the AMEMSA region, as well as their traditions, perspectives, and cultural work, are often deeply misrepresented, simplified, and/or erased in popular culture. This feature aims to showcase and celebrate AMEMSA+ authors and creators and recognize the beautiful impact their art and media has on Bloomington and Indiana University as a whole. This feature is also a celebration of Ramadan and those who observe this holy month. Ramadan Mubarak!
In addition to the resources we've gathered in this feature, we've also curated a collection of music by artists from or with familial connections to AMEMSA countries. While certainly not comprehensive, we have sought to include a representative sampling of countries, communities, and genres, from across time but with an emphasis on contemporary musicians and styles. To learn more about the contributions of artists from this region to musical history and culture, take a look at some of the resources we used to make this playlist below:
Note: To enjoy the playlist in full, click on the white Spotify icon in the upper-right corner of the playlist, and press the "like" (♡) button in the application to save.
If you'd like to engage more deeply with resources and library materials relevant to AMEMSA+ communities, browse some of the following guides from IU Libraries:
Video: Muslim Women React To Bad Representation. Muslim (2021).
Video: This Aint It...Let's Talk About Muslim Representation. SincerelyTahiry (2019).
Collection of Foreign Office files, including correspondence, intelligence reports, agents’ diaries, minutes, maps, newspaper excerpts and other materials. Covers the history of Persia (Iran), Central Asia and Afghanistan from the decline of the Silk Road in the first half of the nineteenth century to the establishment of Soviet rule over parts of the region in the early 1920s.
Documents encompass the era of “The Great Game” - a political and diplomatic confrontation between the Russian and British Empires for influence, territory and trade across a vast region, from the Black Sea in the west to the Pamir Mountains in the east.
Covers a broad sweep of history from c. 1839 to 1969, taking in the countries of the Arabian peninsula, the Levant, Iraq, Turkey and former Ottoman lands in Europe, Iran, Afghanistan, Egypt and Sudan. Materials include reports, dispatches, correspondence, descriptions of leading personalities, political summaries, and economic analyses.
Beginning with the Egyptian reforms of Muhammad Ali Pasha in the 1830s, the documents trace the events of the following 150 years, including the Middle East Conference of 1921, the mandates for Palestine and Mesopotamia, the partition of Palestine, the 1956 Suez Crisis and post-Suez Western foreign policy, and the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Documents sourced from international journals, newspapers, scientific reports, and radio and television broadcasts from 19 countries in North Africa and the Middle East, as well as from other nations with security interests in the region.
Covers topical categories, including the Israeli-Arab conflict, human and civil rights, international relations, terrorism, and others. The collection includes many points of view and contemporary accounts from both inside and outside the region on events such as: the Six Day War, the Yom Kippur War, Operation Entebbe, the taking of American hostages in Iran, the Assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, the Achille Lauro hijacking, and the Persian Gulf War. And on the origins and growth of organizations such as: the Arab League, the Palestine Liberation Organization, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Muslim Brotherhood.
A systematic, non-evaluative bibliographic index of research, policy, and scholarly discourse on the countries and peoples of the Middle East, Central Asia, and North Africa.
Coverage includes the following fields:
political affairs & law
international relations
economic affairs: business & industry
cultural heritage, arts & humanities
society & social welfare
ethnic diversity & anthropology
significant religious events & movements
recent history (1881 - present) & archaeology
Searchable database of original sources from the Anglo-Indian landing in Basra in 1914 through the British Mandate of 1920-32 to the rise of Saddam Hussein in 1974.
Contains original source material from the Foreign Office, Colonial Office, War Office and Cabinet Papers. Topics covered include: The Siege of Kut-al-Amara, The War in Mesapotamia and the capture of Baghdad in 1917, Introduction of the British Mandate, and the installation of King Faisal in 1921, The British administration in Baghdad, Gertrude Bell, advisor to the British administration, in both reports and memos, The Arab Uprising of 1920, Independence, and Iraq’s membership of the League of Nations in 1932, Coups d’etat in the 1930s and 1940s, The Baghdad Pact of 1955 and the military coup of 1958 leading to the establishment of a republic, The Cold War and Soviet intervention in Iraq, Kurdish unrest and the war in Kurdistan, Oil concessions and oil exploration, The Rise of Ba’athism and Saddam Hussein, The USSR-Iraq Treaty of Friendship in 1972, Iran-Iraq relations.
Extensive bibliography and annotated lists of key literature compiled by experts in the field of Islamic Studies. Covers the range of lived experiences and textual traditions of Muslims as they are articulated in various countries and regions throughout the world.
IU has a number of resources and groups related to AMEMSA+ communities, particularly for students from this region. We've compiled a list of them here:
In celebration of National Disability Awareness Month in March, Disability Pride Month in July, and National Disability Employment Month in October, we curated this feature to focus on disabled, neurodivergent, crip, and sick creators in a wide range of mediums. Disability is a topic in film, literature, music, and other media that often gets pushed to the side due to fear, stigma, and pity. This feature is a testament to the vibrant community of disability media and its creators that refuse to let diagnoses or illness stand in the way of artistic expression.
To read more about disability language and the use of "crip," enjoy this article by Dean Strauss: "Queer Crips: Reclaiming Language," and Brittany Wong's Huffington Post article "It's Perfectly OK to call a Disabled Person 'Disabled,' And Here's Why."
To get started with this feature, we have compiled a selection of music from disabled, sick, and neurodivergent artists from across time and genres. To learn more about these artists and communities, and the particularities of their musical contributions, enjoy some of the resources we used to help make this playlist:
If you would like to engage more with this month-long celebration, the Libraries have curated a number of interrelated resources and features to continue and deepen the conversation. You'll find these, below:
There are a number of resources and services available to students, staff, and faculty on the Bloomington campus. A selection of these is provided here:
In celebration of National Hispanic American Heritage Month, we have put together a feature commemorating Hispanic and Latine/Latinx artists and creators from across generations.
We recognize that not everyone being celebrated throughout this month align with using labels such as Hispanic or Latin(e/x) that we will be using for the title of this feature. Several terms are more accepted due to different movements in gender equity and nonbinary visibility as well as a collective push back on terms rooted in colonialism. We invite any and all people to celebrate this month and use this feature to explore more about the wide and diverse range of art, film, literature, and general culture of Hispanic and Latin(e/x) people.
For more on the topic of terms and labels, the New York Public Librarian's curator of Latin American, Iberian, and Latino Studies Paloma Celis Carbajal shares more in their article "From Hispanic to Latine: Hispanic Heritage Month and the Terms That Bind Us."
For more on the topic, and this month-long celebration, consult some of the following resources:
To provide an initial orientation to this feature and the contributions of Latinx artists, we have compiled a chronological survey of songs by musicians from these communities across time and genre. To learn more about Hispanic and Latinx musical worlds, check out some of the resources we used to create this playlist:
If you would like to engage more with this month-long celebration, the Libraries have curated a number of interrelated resources and features to continue and deepen the conversation. You'll find these, below:
A sampling of scholarly articles from our electronic databases relevant to Latin(x/e) identity and culture:
Anguiano, José G., Uriostegui, Marbella, Gussman, Melissa, & Kouyoumdjian, Claudia. “Sonic Counterspaces: The Role of Music in the Latino College Experience at a Predominantly White Institution.” Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, vol. 21, no. 1, 2022, pp. 67-81.
Galvin, Rachel. “Transcreation and Self-Translation in Contemporary Latinx Poetry.” Critical Inquiry, vol. 49, no. 1, 2022, pp. 28-54.
Gutiérrez, Arcelia. “Situating Representation As a Form of Erasure: #OscarsSoWhite, Black Twitter, and Latinx Twitter.” Television & New Media, vol. 23, no. 1, 2022, pp. 100-118.
McFarland, Pancho. “Chicano Rap Roots: Black-Brown Cultural Exchange and the Making of a Genre.” Callaloo, vol. 29, no. 3, 2006, pp. 939-955.
For a more comprehensive list of films (both features and documentaries) relevant to this celebration, please visit Media Service's guide to Hispanic History & Heritage Month Streaming and DVD Resources.
The group of people honored and acknowledged during Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is vast and incredibly diverse. They occupy a wide swath of different immigrant experiences and pasts, from the Chinese immigration to the country’s west coast to prospect for gold to the influx of Indian immigrants that came following the establishment of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. In these times of prejudice and violence toward many in AAPI and Native Hawaiian communities, it is essential to develop solidarity and recognize our common humanity. People from Asian American and Pacific Islander backgrounds are reflective of America as a whole and their contributions, some of which are shown below, are vital to the quilted pattern of our country’s continually evolving self-expression. To learn more about this celebration, consult some of the resources below:
As an entry point into this feature, we have put together a sampling of contemporary AANHPI artists and their contributions to music across genres. To learn more about these artists and communities, check out some of the resources we used to create the playlist:
If you would like to engage more with this month-long celebration, the Libraries have curated a number of interrelated resources and features to continue and deepen the conversation. You'll find these, below:
In recognition and celebration of Black History Month this February, we have curated a selection of books, films, podcasts, and music that celebrate the voices, writing, lives, and history of Black people in America. This collection loosely centers around Blackness in media—aiming to highlight Black music, pop culture, television, and performance. In these selections you will find Black creators discussing the impact of media misrepresentation on Black masculinity, connections between Black music and culinary traditions, rest as a form of resistance, the history of Black performance in America, Black feminist sound, and ekphrastic Black & queer futures alongside a variety of other topics. We hope that you can utilize this collection alongside additional IU Library resources to recognize and celebrate the work of Black intellectuals, writers, poets, chefs, directors, and creators this February.
Our collection is only a small sampling of texts. See below for additional reading lists:
In addition to the resources we've gathered in this feature, we've also curated a sampling of music by black artists, across time and genre. To learn more about the deep and varied contributions of black musicians to the development of this medium, take a look at some of the resources we used to make this and other related playlists in the Sounds of Black History Month feature.
Note: To enjoy the playlist in full, click on the white Spotify icon in the upper-right corner of the playlist, and press the "like" (♡) button in the application to save.
National recognition months are a great opportunity to celebrate and participate in events and learning that honor the history of marginalized communities. We recognize, however, that these months, and the creation of resource guides, is only one small step in celebrating and recognizing the contributions of marginalized communities across America. We also recognize that reading books, engaging with films, and listening to music by Black creators is only one aspect of supporting Black communities. To engage more fully, consider supporting local Black-owned businesses, learning about the history and experiences of Black people in Bloomington and at IU, and supporting institutions at IU the are dedicated to Black students. Please see our feature on Local Black History for resources specific to Bloomington, Indiana.
In particular, we would like to highlight the Celebrating Black Cinema series hosted by the Black Film Center & Archive, the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, and the City of Bloomington. See the full list of events on the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center Calendar.
To explore more programming at IU, see below:
While Black History Month, as a formulation, often emphasizes history and the present (and thus maintains a retrospective focus), we acknowledge that there are many Black futures that we can dream, cultivate, and grow together. While we have highlighted a number of resources that imagine a different world, in the (or "a") future we hope to shift our focus to looking forward, with new features and resources that highlight what is possible.
If you'd like to engage more deeply with Black History Month through library resources, the IU Libraries Arts & Humanities department has created a number of resources and features to provide more holistic coverage of Black history:
For more poetry, explore the following curated lists:
See "A Century of Greatness: The Best African American Literary Anthologies" by Kenton Rambsy for more.
In recognition of Women's* History Month in March, we have curated a series of playlists honoring the unforgettable contributions of women and femme-of-center nonbinary folks across the history of music, in genres such as folk, punk rock, heavy metal, and classical.
This first playlist is a retrospective of folk artists, beginning in the 60s and spanning all the way to 2021. This includes chart-topping and influential musicians such as Joan Baez and Nico and lesser-known artists such as Linda Perhacs and Elizabeth Cotton from the 20th century, as well as the next generation of folk and indie artists in the 21st century, such as Neko Case and Angel Olsen. To learn more about this music and the artists who have made folk an enduring musical tradition, check out some of the resources we used to inspire this playlist.
*Note: Trans women are women. For the purposes of this feature, we have chosen to center feminine expression and embodiment, and so include contributions from artists and scholars who identify as women, whether cisgender or transgender, as well as nonbinary and genderqueer individuals who are femme, femme-of-center, or who identify with or perform femininity in some way. For more on these concepts, check out this article from the ACLU ("Trans Women are Women") or explore some of the resources from this feature on "The Metaphysics of Gender" from the Philosophy Research Guide. And, if you would like to explore the music of trans women in particular, check out our feature on "Transfeminine Worlds," from the Gender Studies Research Guide, which includes a playlist of songs by transfeminine musicians.
As with many of these national commemorations, one month is never enough to fully honor and celebrate the history and culture of marginalized communities, let alone heal the legacies (and ongoing reality) of harm and systemic oppression they've experienced. We recognize that resisting and rejecting misogyny and cisheteropatriarchy cannot be manifested simply through resource lists and guides, however important and well-intentioned, and that justice and liberation for women, expansively defined, and all who challenge and live outside of binary gender is the work of generations. We are, nevertheless, committed to doing what we can to work towards a different, more equitable and caring future.
If you'd like to engage more deeply with Women's History Month, units across the Libraries have created a number of interrelated resources and features to provide more holistic coverage of this commemoration. You'll find those, below:
Retrospective of punk acts, from its inception through recent times. Explore the sounds of femme artists in punk and the ways they evolved the genre. To learn more about the history of women and transgender punk rockers, check out the resources we used to curate this playlist below:
Retrospective of women and femme-of-center genderqueer rockers across the many subgenres that comprise rock & roll music and heavy metal, from the 80s to today. Explore how femme artists have shaped the sound of heavy music across its history. To learn more about the history of the women and transgender artists who have blown us away with their sound, check out the resources we used to curate this playlist below:
Retrospective of women and femmes in rap, from the 80s to today. Explore how femme artists have shaped the sound of hip hop across its evolution. To learn more about the history of women and transgender MCs, explore some of the resources we used to curate this playlist below:
Curated selection of contributions from women in classical music and jazz, from the beginning of the 20th century to today. To learn more about the contributions of women and transgender composers and instrumentalists who have contributed to these genres, enjoy some of the resources we used to put together this playlist below:
Too often in grand narratives (and playlists), many voices are left out. In this playlist, we've centered the voices of women of color across time and genre as they endeavor to speak out against and articulate the injustices and shortcomings of American democracy across history. In this music is both a ferocious condemnation of the various, interlocking systems of oppression that circumscribe the lives of so many and hope for a future defined by equality and justice. Explore how women of color have crafted political anthems that challenge American democracy to be accountable and inclusive.
In June we celebrate Pride Month. Pride Month honors and recognizes the LGBTQ+ community, uplifting and celebrating LGBTQ+ voices. Though there were other instances of the LGBTQ+ community resisting police harassment, Pride celebrations as we know them today can be traced back to the Stonewall Uprising in 1969 and the marches that followed to celebrate that spirit of resistance. The LGBTQ+ community is incredibly diverse, representing many backgrounds, perspectives, and identities, and Pride Month is a time to be proud of living openly and authentically in these identities. In these times of LGBTQ+ rights being threatened, it is critical to develop solidarity, honor Pride’s roots in resistance, and celebrate the beauty and courage of living one’s truth. To learn more, consult the resources below:
As an entry point into this feature, we have put together a sampling of contemporary LGBTQ+ artists and their contributions to music across genres. To learn more about these artists and communities, check out some of the resources we used to create the playlist:
If you would like to engage more with this month-long celebration, the Libraries have curated a number of interrelated resources and features to continue and deepen the conversation. You'll find these, below:
Cavalcante, A. (2017). Breaking Into Transgender Life: Transgender Audiences’ Experiences With “First of Its Kind” Visibility in Popular Media. Communication, Culture and Critique, 10(3), 538-555–555.
DeClue, J. (2017) To Visualize the Queen Diva!: Toward Black Feminist Trans Inclusivity in Beyoncé's “Formation”. TSQ, 4(2), 219–225.
Fischer, M. (2018). Queer and Feminist Approaches to Transgender Media Studies. Springer International Publishing.
Joyrich, L. (2014). Queer Television Studies: Currents, Flows, and (Main)streams. Cinema Journal, 53(2), 133–139.
Scott, D., & Fawaz, R. (2018). Queer about Comics [Special Issue]. American Literature: A Journal of Literary History, Criticism, and Bibliography, 90(2), 197–459.
There are a number of national organizations and Indiana University-specific student groups and resources available for the LGBTQ+ community. Listed below is a selection of these resources:
And when in doubt, you can always check out the resources and services provided by the LGBTQ+ Culture Center here at IU Bloomington. Their staff are always there to help students, staff, faculty, and community members.
In recognition and celebration of Black History Month in February, we have created a series of curated playlists designed to celebrate the voices, innovations, and influence of black artists and musicians across music history.
The first in our series of playlists, titled “Masterpiece,” explores a variety of genres and musical movements traditionally recognized as being driven by black artistry and innovation, genres that provide a space for the voices of black artists to be heard and celebrated. This playlist focuses on key figures in pop, jazz, soul, funk, r&b, and hip hop, spanning from the mid-20th century to the present day.
In addition to this more general playlist, we also created three other playlists that offer deep dives into genres where black voices and influence are often obscured or overlooked: including rock music, celebrating black pioneers in punk, metal, and other rock music movements; folk and country, where black contributions to the evolution of folk and country music into popular culture is centered; and electronic, where we highlight key black contributors to the evolution of electronic music in all its many sub-genres.
Provided in tandem with these playlists are library and freely available resources to aid in the further exploration and celebration of black contributions to contemporary popular music and culture.
As with many of these national commemorations, one month is never enough time to fully honor and celebrate the history and culture of marginalized communities, let alone heal the legacies (and ongoing reality) of harm they've experienced. We recognize that there is much more to be done, that racism and anti-blackness can't be eliminated simply through the creation of resource guides, and that the work of realizing justice won't soon be over. But nevertheless, we keep trying, contributing how we can and building upon the efforts of those who came before us, and we continue to learn from and with one another.
If you'd like to engage more deeply with Black History Month, the IU Libraries Arts & Humanities department has created a number of interrelated resources and features to provide more holistic coverage of this remembering. You'll find those, below:
And for all things Black culture, you can never go wrong with the resources, services, and collections of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center Library.
For the other three playlists in our Black History Month feature we will focus on the voices and innovations of black artists in genres where they are often overlooked, or excluded. To start, we present here a curated list of Rock musicians and bands from the genre’s inception to the present day. Here, we illustrate and outline a handful of the black artists who drove the genre forward, keeping it fresh into the new decade, from rock, to punk, to metal, and back again.
Continuing in our celebration of contributions and innovations by black artists to genres wherein their voices are often forgotten or overlooked, we present a curated playlist of black songs that have influenced and driven the sounds of folk and country music for over a hundred years.
Classical music in particular has long been dominated by the contributions of white men, despite the breadth and artistry of black composers from as early as the 19th century. In this playlist, we highlight compositions from across musical time to showcase the many ways black artists have explored and challenged the conventions of classical music.
Our final playlist in our Black History Month series explores the contributions and innovations made by black musicians in the rapidly evolving electronic music genre. While much debate exists over the true beginnings of music made entirely with electronic instruments, one thing that is certain is black artists have been at the forefront of exploring the capabilities of electronic compositions, pushing the types of music that can be created entirely with synthetic instruments to new heights with each decade.
In recognition of this month's celebration of indigenous history and culture, we present this curated playlist of Indigenous artists from the 20th and 21st centuries. Collected here are artists representing their heritage and identity in musical stylings varying from traditional to contemporary, spanning a spectrum of hip hop, metal, country, and experimental. Listen and explore a sampling of the vast contributions to modern American music by Indigenous peoples.
This list only serves as a diving point into the vast contributions to American and international popular music made by Indigenous artists. Join us in celebrating and exploring these genre defining (and defying) artists. Below the playlist, you'll find a comprehensive discussion of the context and history of the music we've highlighted, as well as a selection of resources for further reading on Indigenous music.
If you'd like to engage more deeply with the experience of Indigenous people within the context of Turtle Island, we've also curated a list of books, movies, databases, and podcasts to support further curiosity and learning. You can also find that list by clicking on the Indigenous Heritage & History Month box on the left-hand side of this page, in the navigation menu.
Additionally, as part of this celebration and remembering, there is also a series of features related to Indigenous identity, from across IU Libraries:
For more information about the Indigenous communities with ongoing and traditional ties to this land, and how to support Indigenous groups and movements, take a look at our Land Acknowledgment and Local Indigenous Resources guide.
Our playlist moves throughout various points in North American musical history, with artists dating back to the early 20th century. In the early decades of jazz, Mildred Bailey (Cour de’Alene) emerged as a household name. Bailey started her singing career at 17 and went on to perform genre staples of the jazz giants of her time. In the late 1920s, blues music was being recorded and released to great popularity, and among the artists of this blues explosion was Charlie Patton (Choctaw). Hailed as the father of Delta Blues, Patton, of mixed (Black, white, and Indigenous) ancestry, pioneered the driving rhythms and impassioned vocals that became representative of blues music in the delta region and would lay the foundational groundwork for rock n roll musicians to come.
Moving into the 1960s, Indigenous artists had an undeniable impact on popular music despite a lack of commercial success. Buffy Sainte-Marie, born on the Piapot 75 reserve and adopted by a Mi’kmaq family as an infant, gained notoriety in the New York folk scene for her impassioned and fiercely political compositions and performances. She penned hit anthems of the 1960s counterculture scene, including “Unknown Soldier” and “Cod’ine,” though she is seldom given credit where it is due. Further south along the east coast, rock n roll pioneer Link Wray (Cherokee and Shawnee) emerged with the single “Rumble” in 1958. Wray, born in North Carolina,, would change rock n roll forever with his signature heavy and distorted guitar tones, paving the way for punk and metal musicians to follow. Collected here is an example of Wray’s country and Americana roots from his self-titled 1971 album, a pioneering work of the home-recording movement that would carry into the 21st century.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Indigenous artists had a profound influence on popular American genres. Often forgotten in the shadow of his contemporaries like Eric Clapton and George Harrison, Jesse Ed Davis (Comanche, Seminole, Muskogee, and Kiowa) was a highly acclaimed guitar player. Born in Oklahoma, Davis played with hugely popular artists of his time, featuring alongside names like John Lennon, Taj Mahal, Jackson Browne, and Leonard Cohen. On the west coast, brothers Pat and Candido Vasquez-Vegas (Yaqui, Shoshone, and Mexican) formed the all Native American rock group Redbone. The brothers penned radio-rock staples for the 1970s with hits like “The Witch Queen of New Orleans” and the ever-lasting “Come and Get Your Love.” Across the nation at this time, acts were popping up on reservations and in indigenous communities, exemplified here by the band Sugluk with their song “Ajuinnarasuarsunga,” a fusion of rock n roll song structure and first nations language.
Moving into the 1980s, singer-songwriter Archie James Cavanaugh (Tlingit) released his yacht rock classic “Black and White Raven.” Born in Alaska, Cavanaugh traveled the west coast assembling a band that included members of Redbone to release his often overlooked album, its fusion of disco and soft rock represented here on “Take it Easy.” In country music, First Nations culture is frequently referenced but seldom represented justly. This was not the case in the music of Buddy Red Bow (Lakota). Red Bow dedicated his career to singing of the plight of Indigenous peoples and the injustices wrought by white colonists. The music of Indigenous artists was also significant in rising genres of the decade like new age. Joanne Shenandoah (Oneida and Onondaga) would become an influential figure in this genre and would go on to set the record for Native American Music Awards won by a single artist.
Moving into the 21st century to the present, Indigenous artists still hold an influential place in modern American genres, driving them forward with ingenuity and expert artistry. Artist Martha Redbone continues in the tradition of rhythm n blues and soul music, fusing these sounds with traditional indigenous music drawn from her heritage of Choctaw, Cherokee, and African American. Artist Samantha Crain melds folk rock, indie rock, and americana with indigenous influence reflective of her Choctaw heritage. Inuk artist Beatrice Deer makes indie rock that is consistently inventive and exciting, earning her the Best Inut/Cultural Album award for her 2005 effort “Just Bea.” In the vein of indie rock, Silver Jackson makes music in numerous groups, performing under this name as well as his Tlingit name. Groups like Cemican and Nechochwen fuse First Nations history and political outcry over unjust treatment of Indigenous peoples with the harsh and aggressive sounds of metal, driving the genre forward still in the 21st century. Doom metal group Divide and Dissolve (Black, Tsalagi, Maori) fuse classical music with doom metal and lyrical outcry over injustices wrought against indigenous peoples to create uniquely political music for the 21st century. Artist Black Belt Eagle Scout furthers the mix of traditional indigenous influence with alternative rock, creating post rock informed by her Swinomish heritage. Artist Tanya Tagaq (Inuk) create music unlike anything heard before, fusing traditional throat singing with ambient soundscapes derived from noise and drone music. In hip hop, First Nations artists bring exciting changes and new voices to the cultural forefront, as is the case with Angel Haze (Cherokee), who raps of their experiences as an individual identifying as pansexual and agender in the hip hop world, as well as celebrating their mixed Indigenous heritage. Groups like A Tribe Called Red fuse electronic genres like dubstep and house with hip hop and traditional First Nations music to create a sound wholly their own in the massive EDM music market.