Whereas this resolution may be cited as the Original Black History Month Resolution of 2024; Whereas this resolution has been endorsed by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History; Whereas the theme for Black History Month 2024 is African Americans and the Arts , which commemorates the influence of African Americans to artistic and cultural movements in all fields, including visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, cuisine, and other forms of cultural expression; Whereas African-American art has a long and extensive history, imbued with the experiences of African, Caribbean, and Black Americans’ lived experiences; Whereas many cultural and artistic genres have been created and pioneered by people of African descent throughout history; Whereas this resolution highlights Black artists and creators in various fields and their contributions to larger African-American movements; Whereas enslaved Africans brought the tradition of sweetgrass basket weaving from West Africa to the low country of the American colonies over 300 years ago, a visual artistry which predates the American Revolution; Whereas the enslaved Africans created the musical form of spirituals, religious folksong often sung during hours of manual labor; Whereas famous spirituals include songs such as Swing Low, Sweet Chariot , composed by Wallace Willis; Whereas some spirituals served as a means of communication between liberators and seekers of freedom; Whereas Robert Johnson, the Mississippi-born musician, was an elusive and influential early Blues musician who has since been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; Whereas McKinley Muddy Waters Morganfield, another Blues musician inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, released the songs I Can’t Be Satisfied and I Feel Like Going Home ; Whereas early Blues musicians, who were also often gospel performers, created the foundation for jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and other forms of music that are continuing to develop