Who Stole Black Music Month?

The annals of American music are filled with heartbreaking stories about Caucasians stealing the music of African-Americans. Now white people–or rather, one particular white person, President George W. Bush–appears to have stolen Black Music Month! Today, the president hosted a celebration, attended by Lionel Hampton, Shirley Caesar, Bobby Jones, and other great black musicians, at which he signed a proclamation in recognition of Black Music Month. But according to the document, the month that Bush declared Black Music Month is June, which ends tomorrow at midnight. Two measly days to celebrate Black Music Month? Particularly given the central role blacks played in creating most genres of contemporary music, including jazz and rock ’n’ roll, that hardly seems enough. Chatterbox demands to know which White House functionary’s idea it was to back-date Black History Month.