On June 7, 1979, President Jimmy Carter recognized June as Black Music Month. Thirty years later, President Barack Obama, the first African-American to hold the nation's highest office, commemorated the designation. He noted that the rich legacy of black music had encouraged citizens "to dance, to express our faith through song, to march against injustice, and to defend our country's enduring promise of freedom and opportunity for all." This June and into July, Rhino and sister imprint Run