Of all the musical genres, rock 'n' roll has remained the most defiant and experimental. Infused with blues, gospel, jazz, and country, at the very root of its inception is the sound and rhythms of the black female voice. With an impact not recognized by history, black women's spines hold stories books have never had the strength to carry. And within the pages of these encyclopedias is a narrative that pays homage to the foundational legacy of the black women who crafted the rock 'n' roll force.
The legacy of black women in rock, when dutifully researched and studied, is omnipresent. Their names, however, are erased from the forefront because sexism and anti-black racism would have you believe that rock 'n' roll was created by a down on his luck, raspy-voiced white man. Elvis is largely regarded as the "King of Rock 'n' Roll," Eric Clapton has been inducted into the rock 'n' roll hall of fame three times and Queen's Freddie Mercury is the name many throw into the ring when discussing unparalleled vocal pitch, control, and skill, paired with an unmatched stage presence. Yet before these men, at least two decades earlier, there was Big Mama Thornton, Sister Rosetta Tharpe jamming on the electric, and Bessie Smith channeling the Blues that would become one of the pillars of rock. These black women were making waves when the world would have rather seen them drown.
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