FBA Contributions

Created the harmonic foundation for all American popular music. The 12-bar blues progression powers rock, country, and pop.

FBA string band traditions, blues techniques, and the banjo (a West African instrument) formed country music's foundation.

Created in New Orleans — America's first indigenous art form recognized globally.

Transformed Christian worship. Call-and-response patterns adopted across all American music.

Created by Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Later adapted by white artists for mainstream audiences.

Combined gospel, blues, and jazz into the foundation for funk, disco, and contemporary R&B.

Created a comprehensive cultural movement. Became the globally dominant musical form, generating billions in economic activity.

Transformed available ingredients into distinctive American cuisine with cooking techniques adopted nationally.

Developed smoking and grilling techniques fundamental to American barbecue. Created regional variations that drive tourism.

Blended African, French, and Native American culinary traditions into one of America's most celebrated food cultures.

Smoking, curing, and preservation methods developed under restrictive conditions that became standard American practices.

Unique grammatical structures and vocabulary that influenced mainstream American English across all demographics.

Created the American autobiography genre — the first uniquely American literary form.

Established modern American literary traditions through poetry, prose, and artistic expression.

Created the foundation for American religious music and influenced poetry and cultural expression nationwide.