Race Records? Soooo outdated, yo.

Race records - 78 rpm phonograph records geared towards and produced by African Americans. Initially coined "race records" by the Chicago Defender in 1922, the term quickly spread. In the 1920s, records were largely popular due to the Great Migration. Around 1916, Southern African Americans began their migration to the Northern states. Southern migrants yearned for the music they were used to in the South. Record companies such as Okeh, Paramount, Vocalion and Columbia quickly became involved in the production of these so called "race records" because of their increasing popularity.

The first popular race record? It's hard to say, but the 1920 recording of Mamie Smith's "Crazy Blues" under Okeh Records or Bessie Smith's "Down Hearted Blues" under Columbia Records are good contestants. Race records only became increasingly popular, appealing to African Americans and many white teenagers. While many were searching for white singers to sing "race music", African Americans were eager to buy music recorded by their own race. For the most part, white recording companies dominated race records until black owned record companies such as Black Swan and Black Patti surfaced.

Black Swan records, established by Harry Pace, boasted that they were "The Only Genuine Colored Records - Others Are Only Passing For Colored." African Americans were not satisfied with

their style of music redone by white artists and therefore, race records were marketed directly toward an African American audience. Race records quickly expanded beyond Jazz and Blues to include gospel music, sermons, jug-and-washboard bands, string bands, spirituals and even comedy routines. Although white record producers realized the appeal of this so-called "race music", white artists felt as though it was inappropriate for all audiences and that it was best for them to stick to the "blues and stomp numbers" that came to them naturally.

Although the record industry was booming, the Stock Market Crash of 1929 caused the Great Depression, putting the so-called "Jazz Age" to an end. In the 1920s, record sales were up to a 100 million a year, but after the Great Depression it dropped to a measly 6 million per year. Many of the record companies who had previously produced race records went out of business. Record companies were unable to prosper again until the mid 1930s and by then no one wanted the hear the blues anymore. It wasn't until after the end of World War II when the record industry had its next major growth period. By then, small jazz and hillbilly music became popular and race music transformed into Rhythm and Blues. By the 50s, race records became almost useless and unnecessary.

Race records were a huge part of the early 20th century, but after the Great Depression, everything changed. African American artists were ecstatic that they were able to share their music with many different audiences, despite the struggle against white artists attempting to reproduce their style of music. It was often the case that African American artists were misinformed about the amount of record sales, the copyright laws that could have protected their music and they were often underpaid or denied the wages that they had earned from their recordings. Although this was unfair, some of the black-owned record companies changed these policies. Despite these struggles, African Americans displayed so much pride in their music.

Pictures:

http://jasobrecht.com/mamie-smith-the-first-lady-of-the-blues/

http://www.gracyk.com/assess.shtml

http://www.mainspringpress.com/blues_BScover.html

http://wikihistoria.wikispaces.com/Jazz+Age

https://jazzlives.wordpress.com/tag/victor-records/

Information:

http://www.pbs.org/jazz/exchange/exchange_race_records.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_record

http://www.centerstage.org/marainey/Digital-Dramaturgy/The-Blues/Race-Records.aspx

...and all of the websites associated with the links.