Dr. Samuel A. Floyd, Jr. established the Black Music Research Newsletter in 1977 while at the Project for Research in Black American Music at Southern Illinois University - Carbondale, Illinois, where it was published until summer 1978. Newsletters from fall 1978 through spring 1982 were published by Dr. Floyd at the Institute for Research in Black American Music at Fisk University, then jointly with Fisk University and Columbia College Chicago, where Dr. Floyd established the Center for Black Music Research in 1983. Issues of this newsletter, later, bulletin, were published solely by the CBMR from fall 1985 through 1990.
The newsletter promoted and encouraged scholarship and culture in black American music and black music worldwide. The primary audience and contributors were from the United States, although several pieces were submitted from around the world.
The publication originally held four sections: research news; foundation news; questions and answers; and announcement. Research news reported about recent scholarship and projects based in universities and research centers nationwide. Foundation news provided information about funding sources related to black music research. Questions and answers replied to short research inquiries. Announcements publicized concerts, festivals, conferences, and events
In 1988, the CBMR separated the content of the Newsletter, creating two publications: Black Music Research Bulletin, which continued to carry preliminary research news and articles, and the > CBMR Digest, featuring news about black music,black music scholarship, and current research. Both titles were published until 1990 when the CBMR Bulletin ceased publication. The CBMR Digest continued its biannual issues until 2014.
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Black Music Research Bulletin, Fall 1990
Samuel Floyd
BMR Bulletin is published by the Columbia College Center for Black Music Research and is devoted to the encouragement and promotion of scholarship and cultural activity in black American music, and is intended to serve as a medium for the sharing of ideas and information regarding current and future research and activities in universities and research centers. Articles: "A Historical Overview of Soul Music in Chicago"/Robert Pruter; "Chicago Gospel"/Horace Clarence Boyer; "Jazz in Chicago: A Historical Overview"/Richard Wang; "Florence B. Price and Margaret Bonds: The Chicago Years"/Rae Linda Brown; "Chicago Imprints in the CBMR Database"/Otha Day; "Jubilee Singing Groups in Illinois: A Research Note"/Robin Hough; "Portrait of a Black Flutist"/Charles Walthall; "Dvorak and African-American Musicians, 1892-1985"/Maurice Peress; 1991 National Conference on Black Music Research: Abstracts of Papers". Editor: Samuel A. Floyd, Jr.Managing Associate Editor: Marsha J. Reisser. Associate Editors: Orin Moe and Rae Linda Brown. Vol. 12, No. 2. 30 pages.
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Black Music Research Bulletin, Spring 1990
Samuel Floyd
BMR Bulletin is published by the Columbia College Center for Black Music Research and is devoted to the encouragement and promotion of scholarship and cultural activity in black American music, and is intended to serve as a medium for the sharing of ideas and information regarding current and future research and activities in universities and research centers. Articles: "Freedom in the Air': An Overview of the Songs of the Civil Rights Movement"/Guy and Candie Carawan; "The Lined Hymn as a Song of Freedom"/Bernice Johnson Reagon; "Paul Robeson, Civil Rights Activist: An Opinion"/Hale Smith; "Twentieth Century Civil Rights Collections in the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress: A Selected Checklist"/Debra Newman Ham. Editor: Samuel A. Floyd, Jr. Managing Associate Editor: Marsha J. Reisser. Associate Editors: Orin Moe and Rae Linda Brown. Vol. 12, No. 1. 14 pages.
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Black Music Research Bulletin, Fall 1989
Samuel Floyd
BMR Newsletter is published by the Columbia College Center for Black Music Research and is devoted to the encouragement and promotion of scholarship and cultural activity in black American music, and is intended to serve as a medium for the sharing of ideas and information regarding current and future research and activities in universities and research centers. Articles: "Mose McQuitty's Unknown Career: A Personal History of Black Music in America"/D. Alex Albright; "A South Carolina Band in London, 1914"/Jeffrey P. Green; "Aspects of Musical Activities in the Black Communities of Baltimore and Washington, D.C, . 1840 to the Early 1920s"/ Doris Evans McGinty; "CBMR Editorial"/Samuel A. Floyd, Jr.; "Call for Proposals for the 1991 National Conference on Black Music Research". Editor: Samuel A. Floyd, Jr. Managing Associate Editor: Marsha J. Reisser. Associate Editors: Orin Moe and Rae Linda Brown. Vol. 11, No. 2. 14 pages.
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Black Music Research Bulletin, Spring 1989
Samuel Floyd
BMR Bulletin is published by the Columbia College Center for Black Music Research and is devoted to the encouragement and promotion of scholarship and cultural activity in black American music, and is intended to serve as a medium for the sharing of ideas and information regarding current and future research and activities in universities and research centers. Articles: "Turn-of-the-Century Jug Bands in the Southeastern United States"/Bruce Bastin and Jeffrey Green; Black Vaudeville and the TOBA in Atlanta"/Thomas L. Riis; "Kemper Harreld and Willis James: Music at Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College"/Rebecca T. Cureau; Black Music Scholarship and the Approaching New Century: Key Issues, Areas, and Topics in black music Scholarship, Teaching, and Performance, 1988-1999"/Edith Crawford, Dominique-Rene de Lerman, D. Antoinette Hardy, Portia K. Maultsby, Eileen Southern, Martin Williams, Josephine Wright. Editor: Samuel A. Floyd, Jr. Associate Editors: Orin Moe and Rae Linda Brown. Vol. 11, No. 1. 18 pages.
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Black Music Research Bulletin Fall 1988
Samuel Floyd
BMR Bulletin is published by the Columbia College Center for Black Music Research and is devoted to the encouragement and promotion of scholarship and cultural activity in black American music, and is intended to serve as a medium for the sharing of ideas and information regarding current and future research and activities in universities and research centers. Articles: "Looking Toward St. Louis: Installment 1"; "Eddie Randle and the St. Louis Blue Devils"/Paul DeMarinis; "Ragtime in St. Louis"/Trebor Jay Tichenor; "James Reese Europe and His Impact on the New York Scene"/Leonard Goines and Mikki Shepard; "The Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s"/Samuel A. Floyd; "Composers Corner: Carman L. Moore"/Lucius R. Wyatt; "A Note on the Death Date of Blind Lemon Jefferson"/E.S. Virgo; "Canadian Newspapers as Source Material: Further Notes on James Douglass Bohee"/Neil V. Rosenberg. Editor: Sameul A. Floyd, Jr. Managing Associate Editor: Marshal J. Reisser. Associate Editor: Orin Moe. Vol. 10, No. 2. 18 pages.
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Black Music Research Bulletin Spring 1988
Samuel Floyd
BMR Bulletin is published by the Columbia College Center for Black Music Research and is devoted to the encouragement and promotion of scholarship and cultural activity in black American music, and is intended to serve as a medium for the sharing of ideas and information regarding current and future research and activities in universities and research centers. Articles: "A Historical Overview of Black Gospel Music in Los Angeles"/Jacqueline Cogdell DjeDje; "Music in the Lives of Blacks in California: The Beginnings"/Hansonia L. Caldwell; "A Selective Survey of Black Musicians in Los Angeles, 1890-ca. 1945"/Bette Y. Cox; "Jazz Musicians in San Diego"/Stanley Dance; "Rhythm & Blues in California"/Arnold Shaw. Editor: Samuel A. Floyd, Jr. Managing Associate Editor: Marsha J. Reisser. Associate Editor: Orin Moe. Vol. 10, No. 1. 12 pages.
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Black Music Research Newsletter, Fall 1987
Samuel Floyd
BMR Newsletter is published by the Columbia College Center for Black Music Research and is devoted to the encouragement and promotion of scholarship and cultural activity in black American music, and is intended to serve as a medium for the sharing of ideas and information regarding current and future research and activities in universities and research centers. Articles: "Chicago's Jazz Trail: 1893-1950"/Dempsey J. Travis; "Black Concert Music in Chicago, 1890 to the 1930s"/Ellistine Perkins Holly; "Black Music at Columbia College Chicago"/Gail Schmoller; "Composers Corner: Lena Johnson McLin, Composer"/Lucius R. Wyatt; "Introducing...Members of the National Advisory Board of the Center for Black Music Research"/Charles Conte; "On Ragtime: The Ragtime Clubs"/Edward A. Berlin; "News and Notes From....The Center for Black Music Research"/Josephine Wright. Editor: Samuel A. Floyd, Jr. Managing Associate Editor: Marsha J. Reisser. Associate Editors: Calvert Bean and Orin Moe. Production Manager: Gerry Gall. Designer: Mary Johnson. Vol. 9. No. 2. 18 pages.
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Black Music Research Newsletter, Spring 1987
Samuel Floyd
BMR Newsletter is published by the Columbia College Center for Black Music Research and is devoted to the encouragement and promotion of scholarship and cultural activity in black American music, and is intended to serve as a medium for the sharing of ideas and information regarding current and future research and activities in universities and research centers. Articles: "Black Music in New Orleans: A Historical Overview"/Curtis D. Jerde; "Composers Corner: Six Composers of Nineteenth-Century New Orleans"/Lucius R. Wyatt; "Black Music Collections in New Orleans"/Deborra Richardson; "Researching Black Music in New Orleans: A National Conference on Black Music Research"; "Introducing...Members of the National Advisory Board of the Center for Black Music Research"/Bruce Tucker; "News and Notes From...The Center for Black Music Research"/Josephine Wright; "Updated Music List: Six Composers of Nineteenth-Century New Orleans". Editor: Samuel A. Floyd, Jr. Managing Associate Editor: Marsha J. Reisser. Associate Editors: Calvert Bean and Orin Moe. Production Manager: Gerry Gall. Designer: Mary Johnson. Vol. 9, No. 1. 25 pages.
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Black Music Research Newsletter, Fall 1986
Samuel Floyd
BMR Newsletter is published by the Columbia College Center for Black Music Research and is devoted to the encouragement and promotion of scholarship and cultural activity in black American music, and is intended to serve as a medium for the sharing of ideas and information regarding current and future research and activities in universities and research centers. Articles: "Introducing..Members of the National Advisory Board of the Center for Black Music Research"/Bruce Tucker; "An Alternative Index to Black Music in the United States"/Dominique-Rene de Lerma; "Composers Corner/Lucius R. Wyatt; "The Music Collections at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture/Deborra Richardson; "News and Notes From...the Center for Black Music Research"/Josephine Wright; Announcements.Editor: Samuel A. Floyd, Jr. Managing Associate Editor: Marsha J. Reisser. Associate Editors: Calvert Bean and Orin Moe. Production Manager: Gerry Gall. Designer: Mary Johnson. Vol. 8, No. 3. 10 pages.
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Black Music Research Newsletter, Spring 1986
Samuel Floyd
BMR Newsletter is published by the Columbia College Center for Black Music Research and is devoted to the encouragement and promotion of scholarship and cultural activity in black American music, and is intended to serve as a medium for the sharing of ideas and information regarding current and future research and activities in universities and research centers. Articles: "CBMR Database: The Union Catalog and Reference System"/D.W. Krummel; "Milestones of Black-American Composition"/Eileen Southern; "A Prelimary Bibliographical Guide to Periodical Literature for Black Music Research"/Josephine Wright; "Black Spirituals: Their Emergence Into Public Knowledge"/Dena J.Epstein; "Introducing...Members of the National Advisory Board of the Center for Black Music Research"/Bruce Tucker; "Composers Corner"/Lucius R. Wyatt; "The 1985 National Conference on Black Music Research"/Calvert Bean; "Black History and Memorabilia Collected by Ray Avery"/Deborra Richardson; "News and Notes From...the Center for Black Music Research"/Josephine Wright. Editor: Samuel A. Floyd, Jr. Managing Associate Editor: Marsha J. Reisser. Associate Editors: Calvert Bean and Orin Moe. Production Manager: Gerry Gall. Designer: Mary Johnson. Vol. 8, No. 2. 16 pages.
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Black Music Research Newsletter, Fall 1985
Samuel Floyd
BMR Newsletter is published by the Columbia College Center for Black Music Research and is devoted to the encouragement and promotion of scholarship and cultural activity in black American music, and is intended to serve as a medium for the sharing of ideas and information regarding current and future research and activities in universities and research centers. Articles: "A Brief Introduction to the Zulu Choirs"/Doug Seroff; "Beethoven As a Black Composer"/Dominique-Rene de Lerma; "Composers Corner/Lucius R. Wyatt; "The Music Department at the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center"/Deborra Richardson; "Introducing....Members of the National Advisory Board of the Center for Black Music Research"/Bruce Tucker; "Abstracts of Papers to be delivered at the 1985 National Conference on Black Music Research at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts"/Richard A. Long; "News and Notes From...the Center for Black Music Research"/Josephine Wright. Editor: Samuel A. Floyd, Jr. Vol. 8, No. 1. 14 pages.
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Black Music Research Newsletter, Spring 1985
Samuel Floyd
BMR Newsletter is published by the Columbia College Center for Black Music Research and is devoted to the encouragement and promotion of scholarship and cultural activity in black American music, and is intended to serve as a medium for the sharing of ideas and information regarding current and future research and activities in universities and research centers. Articles: "On 'Soldier Boy': The Development of an Opera/ T.J.Anderson; "Provocative Opinion: The Death of Jazz?" /Larry Kart; Announcements. Editor: Samuel A. Floyd, Jr. Vol.7, No.2. 8 pages.
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Black Music Research Newsletter, Fall 1984
Samuel Floyd
"BMR Newsletter is published jointly by the Columbia College Center for Black Music Research and the Fisk University Institute for Research in Black American Music." Article:"Black Music and the Humantities in America: A Summer Institue for Faculty from United Negro College Fund-Affiliated Schools"/William T. Dargan; "Composers Corner"/Lucius Wyatt; "British Newspapers as Source Material: The Case of James Douglass Bohee"/Jeffrey P. Green; "Bibliography of Music by Black Composers"/notes from Dominique-Rene de Lerma. Editor: Samuel A. Floyd. Vol. 7, No. 1. 6 pages.
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Black Music Research Newsletter, Spring 1984
Samuel Floyd
"BMR Newsletter is published jointly by the Columbia College Center for Black Music Research and the Fisk University Institute for Research in Black American Music". Article: "Afro-American Folksong Scholarship"/Darius Thieme; "Composers Corner"/Lucius R. Wyatt; "A Selected List of Music for Organ Solo by Black Composers"/Dominique-Rene de Lerma and Herndon Spillman. Editor: Samuel A. Floyd, Jr. Vol. 6, No. 2. 6 pages.
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Black Music Research Newsletter, Fall 1983
Samuel Floyd
"BMR Newsletter is published jointly by the Columbia College Center for Black Music Research and the Fisk University Institute for Research in Black American Music." Article: "News and Notes From…The Institute for Research in Black American Music at Fisk University"/William T. Dargan; "News and Notes From...The Center for Black Music Research at Columbia College Chicago"/Samuel A. Floyd, Jr; "Composers Corner"/Lucisu R. Wyatt; "A Note on Samuel Cleridge-Taylor"/Jeffrey P. Green; "Piano Music by Black Composers: A Selective List"/Dominique-Rene de Lerma. Editor: Samuel A. Floyd, Jr. Vol. 6, No. 1. 6 pages.
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Black Music Research Newsletter, Spring 1982
Samuel Floyd
"BMR NEWSLETTER is devoted to the encouragement and promotion of scholarship and cultural activity in black American music, and is intended to serve as a medium for the sharing of ideas and information regarding current and future research and musical activities in universities and research centers." Articles: "A Musical and Sociological Review of Scott Joplin's 'Treemonisha'"/Dominique-Rene de Lerma; "Black Instrumental Mujsic Traditions in the Ex-Slave Narratives"/Robert B. Winans; Research and Announcements; "Composers Corner"/Lucius R. Wyatt; "Letters From Black People and Institutions in the Correspondence Collections of the Music Division of the Library of Congress"/Wayne Shirley. Editor: Orin Moe.Vol. 5, No. 2. 12 pages.
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Black Music Research Newsletter, Fall 1981
Samuel Floyd
"BMR NEWSLETTER is devoted to the encouragement and promotion of scholarship and cultural activity in black American music, and is intended to serve as a medium for the sharing of ideas and information regarding current and future research and musical activities in universities and research centers." Articles: "Taking the Borad View in Black Music Research"/John Storm Roberts; Fisk University Archival Collection of Recorded Black Music"/Darius Thieme; "Hazel Harrison: Premier Pianist"/Jean Cazort, Constance Hobson; "Black String Musicians: Ascending the Scale"/Caldwell Titcomb. Vol. 5, No. 1. 6 pages.
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Black Music Research Newsletter, Spring 1981
Samuel Floyd
"BMR NEWSLETTER is devoted to the encouragement and promotion of scholarship and cultural activity in black American music, and is intended to serve as a medium for the sharing of ideas and information regarding current and future research and musical activities in universities and research centers. Articles: "The Blues as Dance Music"/Albert Murray; "Scott Joplin: Questions Remain"/Addison Reed; "The Music of Chautauqua and Lyceum"/Frederick Crane; "Developments in Black Gospel Performance and Scholarship"/Irene Jackson-Brown; "Retrospective: The Black Composers Series"/Calvert Bean; "Composers Corner"/Lucius R. Wyatt; Announcements; Research News. Vol 4, No. 3. 12 pages.
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Black Music Research Newsletter, Fall 1980
Samuel Floyd
"BMR NEWSLETTER is devoted to the encouragement and promotion of scholarship and cultural activity in black American music, and is intended to serve as a medium for the sharing of ideas and information regarding current and future research and musical activities in universities and research centers." Articles: "The Ethnomusicologist and Black Music"/Bruno Nettl; "Black concert and recital music: A glimpse of Afro-Caribbean music in the early 17th century"/Dominique-Rene de Lerma; "Rural Black String Band Music"/Charles Wolfe; "National Conference on Black Music Research-Summary"/ Lucius R. Wyatt; "The Conference Concert: A Review"/Carman Moore; Questions and Answers; Announcements and Information. Editors: Samuel A. Floyd, Orin Moe. Vol. 4, No. 2. 8 pages.
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Black Music Research Newsletter, Winter 1980
Samuel Floyd
"BMR NEWSLETTER is devoted to the encouragement and promotion of scholarship and cultural activity in black American music, and is intended to serve as a medium for the sharing of ideas and information regarding current and future research and musical activities in universities and research centers." Articles: "Black Concert and Recital Music"/Dominique-Rene de Lerma; "Black Music and Musical Analysis: William Grant Still's 'Songs of Separation' as a Point of Departure"/Orin Moe; "Deford Bailey"/Jessica Janice Jones; "Old-Time Black Gospel Quartet Contests"/Doug Seroff; "Foundation News: Why Applications Fail"/the staff of the National Endowment for the Humanities; Announcements and Information; Questions and Answers; Research News. Editors: Samuel A. Floyd, Cynthia Burks. Vol. 4, No. 1. 8 pages.
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Black Music Research Newsletter, Fall 1979
Samuel Floyd
Includes the list of the newly created National Advisory Board for the institute for Research in Black Music at Fisk University. "Black Music Research Newsletter is devoted to the encouragement and promotion of scholarship and cultural activity in black American music, and is intended to serve as a medium for the sharing of ideas and information regarding current and future research and musical activities in universities and research centers." Editor: Samuel A. Floyd, Jr., Editorial Board: Cynthia Burks, Lynne Davis, Anita Pulcher. Vol 3, No. 2. 8 pages.
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Black Music Research Newsletter, Spring 1979
Samuel Floyd
"Black Music Research Newsletter is devoted to the encouragement and promotion of scholarship and cultural activity in black American music, and is intended to serve as a medium for the sharing of ideas and information regarding current and future research and musical activities in universities and research centers." Editor: Samuel A. Floyd, Jr., Editorial Board: Lynne Davis, Anita Pulcher. Vol 2, No. 4. 5 pages.
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Black Music Research Newsletter, Summer 1979
Samuel Floyd
"Black Music Research Newsletter is devoted to the encouragement and promotion of scholarship and cultural activity in black American music, and is intended to serve as a medium for the sharing of ideas and information regarding current and future research and musical activities in universities and research centers." Editor: Samuel A. Floyd, Jr., Editorial Board: Lynne Davis, Anita Pulcher. Vol 3, No. 1. 14 pages.
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Black Music Research Newsletter Supplement, Spring 1979
Samuel Floyd
Vol 2, No, 4 Supplement: A Directory of Scholars specializing in the area of black American music including General Black American Music, Concert Music, Blues, Jazz, Rhythm and Blues, Ragtime, Sacred Music, Curriculum and Teaching, Ban Music, Folk Music, and Musical Theatre. 5 pages.
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Black Music Research Newsletter, Winter 1979
Samuel Floyd
"Black Music Research Newsletter is devoted to the encouragement and promotion of scholarship and cultural activity in black American music, and is intended to serve as a medium for the sharing of ideas and information regarding current and future research and musical activities in universities and research centers." Editor: Samuel A. Floyd, Jr., Editorial Board: Lynne Davis, Anita Trumpler. Vol 2, No. 3. 6 pages.