PRINTER'S NO. 879

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

No.

161

Session of

2015

INTRODUCED BY WHEATLEY, KINSEY, KIM, V. BROWN, BISHOP,

DONATUCCI, THOMAS, J. HARRIS, KIRKLAND, SCHWEYER, HENNESSEY,

HARHART, DAVIS, WHEELAND, GRELL, O'BRIEN, ROSS, BROWNLEE,

Recognizing April 2015 as "National Jazz Month" in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, New Orleans is the birthplace of jazz music; and

WHEREAS, The history of jazz music is inextricably linked

with the history of African-American culture in the United

States; and

WHEREAS, Jazz has been called America's only true indigenous

art form; and

WHEREAS, Many musicians traveled north from New Orleans

during the First World War and brought the distinctive style of

jazz to Chicago, Washington, New York, Pittsburgh and

WHEREAS, Philadelphia's South Street was home to the African-

American owned Standard and Dunbar theaters, both of which

hosted incredible performances by famous jazz musicians Bessie

Smith, Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong; and

WHEREAS, Both Kenny Clark of Pittsburgh and John Coltrane of

Philadelphia helped shape the evolution of jazz music in America

and made significant contributions to the Bebop revolution; and

WHEREAS, Jazz music is uniquely American and represents one

of our nation's proudest cultural contributions to the world;

therefore be it