January 1956

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers solidified their identity as a hard bop ensemble with the release of their Blue Note album, establishing Blakey's group as one of the defining bands of the era. The Messengers became a training ground for generations of jazz musicians including Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, and Freddie Hubbard.

Harry Belafonte's Calypso, released in 1956, became the first LP album by any artist to sell over one million copies in the United States, spending 31 weeks at number one. The album introduced American audiences to Caribbean music and made Belafonte an international superstar.

Baldwin's second novel, centered on a white American expatriate and his love for an Italian man in Paris, was a groundbreaking work addressing homosexuality at a time when the subject was nearly taboo in American letters. His publisher urged him not to release it; he did anyway, cementing his reputation for moral courage.

Fats Domino's Blueberry Hill reached number two on the pop charts and number one on the R&B charts, becoming his biggest crossover hit. The New Orleans pianist's rolling triplet piano style and warm baritone became defining sounds of early rock and roll.

Frank Robinson won the National League Rookie of the Year Award after hitting 38 home runs for the Cincinnati Reds in 1956, tying the NL rookie record. Robinson went on to become the only player to win MVP in both leagues and the first Black manager in Major League Baseball.

Chuck Berry's Roll Over Beethoven was a rollicking declaration of rock and roll's supremacy over classical music and the older generation's tastes. Berry's guitar-driven sound and storytelling lyrics established the template for decades of rock music.

Don Newcombe of the Brooklyn Dodgers became the first player to win both the Cy Young Award (in its inaugural year) and the National League MVP in the same season. The achievement made him the first Black pitcher to win a major pitching award.

Thirteen-year-old Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers released Why Do Fools Fall in Love, a teenage doo-wop anthem that became a top five pop hit. Lymon became the first Black teen idol in rock and roll history and his falsetto defined the sound of early teenage pop.

Charles White created his monumental charcoal drawings during this period, depicting Black Americans with heroic dignity and historical weight. White, who had studied in Mexico and was influenced by muralism, became the most celebrated Black figurative draftsman of his generation, influencing young artists including David Hammons.

Little Richard recorded Long Tall Sally, a frenzied rocker delivered so fast that Pat Boone, who had covered Tutti Frutti, could not successfully cover this one. Richard's deliberate vocal tactic demonstrated how Black artists were asserting control over their own music.

Bo Diddley's Who Do You Love became one of his most celebrated recordings, a hypnotic groove built on his signature beat and filled with surreal lyrical imagery. The track was later covered by dozens of artists from the Rolling Stones to George Thorogood, demonstrating its enduring influence.

Ray Charles's Hallelujah I Love Her So reached number five on the R&B chart, further establishing his distinctive style that merged gospel, blues, and jazz. The recording showcased his ability to make secular love songs feel with the same spiritual intensity as gospel music.

Clyde McPhatter, former lead singer of the Dominoes and the Drifters, released Treasure of Love as a solo artist, reaching number one on the R&B charts. McPhatter's plaintive falsetto and gospel-inflected delivery were foundational influences on Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, and virtually every soul singer who followed.

Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner received a patent for her moisture-resistant sanitary belt in 1956, an invention she had developed in the 1920s but which was rejected by a company once they learned she was Black. She ultimately held more patents than any other Black woman in American history, including designs for a toilet tissue holder and a back washer.