BIPOC Musicians from Philadelphia – Resource Guide

Explore, learn, and celebrate the legacy of influential BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) musicians from Philadelphia. These resources include music, interviews, performances, lesson plans, and articles suitable for middle school classrooms (grades 4–8).

Marian Anderson

marian anderson smiling
Carl Van Vechten, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

John Coltrane

john coltrane playing saxaphone
Distributed by Impulse! Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Kenny Gamble (Philadelphia International Records)

kenny gamble smiling
John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Meek Mill

meek mill with microphone
Chris Sikich from Philadelphia, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Lee Morgan

lee morgan playing trumpet
Herbert Behrens / Anefo, CC BY-SA 3.0 NL, via Wikimedia Commons

Paul Robeson

paul robeson smiling
Gordon Parks, Office of War Information; cropped by Beyond My Ken (talk) 07:13, 3 February 2011 (UTC), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Questlove (The Roots)

questlove playing drums
Brennan Schnell, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Ursula Rucker

ursula rucker singing into microphone
User:angelika maria boes, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Jill Scott

jill scott in front of microphone
Simba Madziva, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Grover Washington Jr.

grover washington smiling
Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Tierra Whack

tierra whack smiling
Diandra Patrick from Brooklyn, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

General Education Resources

See also

Celebrate Philadelphia: Learn, Create, and Explore!

Learn About Pennsylvania