The Black Musical Tradition AND Early Black Literature CAN you be a cultured Black person and known none of the artistic heritage of your people? Can you call yourself a genuinely learned person? I believe that in an ideal situation, an educated person should learn from ALL heritages. This includes the European, Asian, Australasian, American AND the African heritage. This book, The Black Musical Tradition and Early Black Literature, covers two aspects of the African heritage: music and literature. It challenges the idea that Black people were a negligible factor in the development of these intellectual and cultural endeavours. Part One of the book, The Black Musical Tradition, is a critical overview of Black musical heritage from early African times to African American music. I tell the story of the art of sound from the African courts to the Call and the Cries, Blues, Gospel, Jazz, Rock and Roll, Funk, Disco, up till the evolution of Techno. Part Two of the book, Early Black Literature, is an overview of Black writing with translated examples. I tell the story of Ancient Egyptian literature, Negro Arab Literature, Ethiopian literature and African American literature.

I also give a survey and an overview of old surviving Sudanese, Hausa and Swahili manuscripts. Part Three of the book gives information about how to contact me and the lectures that I give on these topics. Robin Walker.