The Ultimate Black History Month Playlist: Hits From James Brown, Beyonce, Billie Holiday, Prince, Tupac, MORE

Black History Month is coming to an end but Black artists' contribution to music will always remain.

Music by the likes of James Brown, Beyonce, Tupac, Michael Jackson, and more will carry one and be the symbol of music excellence for generations to come.

The Apollo Theater recently celebrated its 90th anniversary and its historic opening at The Victoria, which happened to coincide with Black History Month.

The theater, located in the Harlem neighborhood of Upper Manhattan, is one of the most beloved venues for Black performers, and it is the home of "Showtime at Apollo." It was honored with a U.S. National Register of History Places.

The theater welcomed hundreds, if not, millions of Black artists since it opened in 1914; some of the notable performers who grace the Apollo stage are James Brown, Nat King Cole, The Clark Sisters, Josephine Brown, Sammy Davis Jr., The Four Aces, Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, and more.

Here are some unforgettable hits that have influenced and inspired a new generation of artists, songwriters, and audiences.

Black History Month Playlist

Rise Up - Andra Day

Brown Skin Girl - Beyonce

It's a Man's Man's Man's World - James Brown

Empire State of Mind (Part II) - Alicia Keys, Jay-Z

Purple Rain - Prince

Thriller - Michael Jackson

All Eyez on Me - Tupac

I'll Be Seeing You - Billie Holiday

Unforgettable - Nat King Cole

PRIDE. - Kendrick Lamar

Could You Be Loved - Bob Marley

What's Love Got to Do With It - Tina Turner

Sky's the Limit - The Notorious B.I.G.

Yeah - Usher, Lil Jon, Ludacris

Ain't Nobody - Chaka Khan

Black History Month's History

Black History Month kicks off on Feb. 1 and lasts for the entirety of February, however, the date is significant.

According to reports, former President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863; this new legislature was aimed at setting slaves free.

The former president then followed up on this by creating the 13th Amendment, which formally abolished slavery. It was signed and put into effect on Feb. 1, 1865.

It was not until 1949 that former President Harry Truman established Feb. 1 as the official National Freedom Day.

"I call upon the people of the United States to pause on that day in solemn contemplation of the glorious blessings of freedom which we humbly and thankfully enjoy," he wrote.

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