#sha-rock

[Image description: This is an infographic broken up into four smaller images. The background is a shade of light yellow. TItles in the text are set off by bold red type face, while section blurbs are done in black type face. 

First image: The top of the banner for the infographic says “Black History Month: Day 4-Music” in pale yellow text against a red background. 

On the left hand side, a black and white image of a Black woman is shown. She is wearing a dress in a vintage style, while holding a guitar. On the right hand side, the title says “1938, Sister Rosetta Tharpe” with a subheading underneath in bold, black type saying “The Godmother of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” 

Underneath this subheading, it reads: “In 1938, Sister Rosetta Tharpe invented what became known as rock 'n' roll when she hooked her guitar up to an amplifier. She is the basis for most of the early versions of rock music, from Chuck Berry and Little Richard to Elvis Presley.”

Second image: On the left hand side, the title says “August 11, 1973” with a subheading underneath in bold, black type saying “The birthday of hip-hop.”  Underneath this subheading, it reads: “ It's usually difficult to pin down an exact date for the beginnings of a genre, but invitation to a "Back to School Jam" on an index card gives us some hints. The block party itself happened in the Bronx, and is widely accepted as when what we know as hip hop was created.” 

On the right hand side, a color image can be seen. This is an invitation to a back to school party. The invitation is written on lined paper, with a red line across the top. The lined paper looks to be like an index card. The letters are done stylsitically, or in bubble letters and shaded in. It reads as: 

ADJ Kool Herc Party

*Back to School Jam*

Place: 1520 Sedgewick Ave, “Rec Room” 

Date:  August 11, 1973

Time:  9: 00 pm to 4: 00 am 

Admission: $.25 Ladies <3

$.50 Fellas

Given by: Kool Herc

Special Guests: Coco, Cindy C., Klark K, Jimmy T

Below this section, on the left hand side, a color image of a black woman can be seen. She is posing with her hands above her head, while holding a microphone. She is wearing a black top with blue jeans, and silver hoop earrings, bracelets and a large cross necklace. The top text on the image says “Luminary Icon” in blue font, and her emcee name is on the bottom right in script “Sha-rock.”

On the right hand side, the title says “1977, MC SHA-ROCK” with a subheading underneath in bold, black type saying “The first female rapper.”

Underneath this subheading, it reads: “Sharon Green, aka MC Sha-Rock is held as the first female rapper. Born in North Carolina, but raised in the South Bronx, she has been featured on the early mixtapes of rappers like MC Lyte and DMC, from Run-DMC. She was also a part of the first hip-hop group to ever be featured on television- Funky 4 +1.”

Third image: On the left hand side, the title says “1983, Michael Jackson” with a subheading underneath in bold, black type saying “The first Black person to be played on MTV.”  Underneath this subheading, it reads: “MTV first started in 1981, and they spent the first 2 years of their run showing exclusively white musicians/music videos. Michael Jackson was the first Black artist on MTV with his song Billie Jean. This is despite his success in a group act with his brothers in the '60s and his own solo success for nearly a decade before this.”

On the right hand side, a color image can be seen. This image is the album cover for Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean single. Here, Michael can be seen as a young Black man, leaning on his side. He is wearing a bright white suit jacket over a black shirt. The background behind him is plain black, with his name in script by his head. Below his name reads Billie Jean. 

Below this section, on the left hand side, a black and white image of a black man can be seen. He is wearing a jean jacket over a hoodie, and he has the hood pulled over his head. No hair can be see. 

On the right hand side, the title says “1995, Tupac Shakur” with a subheading underneath in bold, black type saying “Tupac pioneers hip hop poetry.”

Underneath this subheading, it reads: “Tupac was a major turning point in how mainstream media saw hip-hop. For most of white America, hip-hop, like rap, and rock and disco before it, was terrible music that was dedicated to worshiping the devil. With the release of his track "Dear Mama," which was dedicated to his civil rights activist mother, Assata Shakur, Tupac opened many people's eyes to the actual poetry and meaning behind the music.”

Fourth image: On the left hand side of the image, is a short list of websites used to get information for this infographic. 

On the right hand side of this image is the copyright.