Cincinnati, Ohio - Councilmember Yvette Simpson and the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission (CHRC) will utilize the month of February, also known as Black History Month, to educate the public and celebrate local Black leaders. On Wednesday 2/24/16 at Cincinnati City Hall (801 Plum Street, Suite 115) from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM, we will host a Local Legends Lunch & Learn with artists from King Records. The community is invited to attend this FREE event. Please bring your lunch and join us as we go back in time, hear a few snippets from these artists and converse with local Black living legends. Immediately following the discussion, King Records will be presented with a Resolution from the City in City Council Chambers.
History of King Records
King Records was an American record label, started in 1943 by Syd Nathan and originally headquartered in the Evanston neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. It now operates as a reissue label for its past material.
At first it specialized in country music and then expanded to rock, blues, R&B and pop. The company also had a "race records" (African American) label, Queen Records (which was melded into the King label within a year or two) and most notably (starting in 1950) Federal Records which launched the singing career of James Brown. In the 1950s, this side of the business outpaced the country recordings. King Records was highly successful after the hiring of Ralph Bass and recorded R&B artists like Otis Williams and the Charms, Bootsy Collins, Phillip Paul, James "Jimmy" Railey, Sisters Geneva Kinard Woode & Denise Kinard Crawley. King also bought out several other record labels, including De Luxe Records (in 1952), and Bethlehem Records. In 1951, Federal records made the first significant crossover break of an R&B record into the white pop music charts with The Dominoes "Sixty Minute Man" (Federal 12022). It made #17 on the Billboard pop chart (#1 R&B) even though it was banned on many white radio stations due to its "dirty lyrics." It was a historic moment as it helped pave the way for future R&B artists and record labels to get their music heard on white radio which was not an easy task in those days. The significance of this event cannot be underrated as it was a turning point in the history of music evolution as well as transgressing racial barriers of the time.
King Records was unique among the independent labels because the entire production process was done in house. That included recording, mastering, printing, pressing and shipping. This gave Syd Nathan complete control so a record could be recorded one day, and shipped to radio stations the next day in quantities as few as 50. The former King Records headquarters at 1540 Brewster Avenue in Cincinnati is still standing. It had an historical marker placed by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008.
(Source: Wikipedia)
About the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission
CHRC was established in November of 1943 as The Mayor's Friendly Relations Committee. As time passed the name was changed to the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission and the mission grew to target a much larger issue, discrimination. Thus, the agency's mission is "to help our community to overcome prejudice and discrimination, build mutual respect and understanding, and to become more harmonious and cohesive."
For additional information on how you can support CHRC and its programs, please contact Executive Director, Ericka King-Betts, PhD at 513-352-3237.
