NMAAM Announces Most Ambitious June in Museum History

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PJ Morton Named Grand Marshal of Black Music Month 2026 as NMAAM Announces Most Ambitious June in Museum History with George Clinton, Rissi Palmer, Swamp Dogg, The Blackbyrds, and More Confirmed for Month-Long 5th Anniversary Celebration – Full Programming Revealed at nmaam.org/bmm

Tickets and event details now available at nmaam.org/bmm

NASHVILLE, TN (May 20, 2026) – The National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) today announces Black Music Month 2026, its most ambitious celebration in the museum’s five-year history, themed The Soundtrack Continues. Taking place throughout]une at NMAAM’s home at 510 Broadway in Nashville, Tennessee, this year’s programming marks the museum’s fifth anniversary as the designated home of Black Music Month and arrives at a historic intersection: America’s 250th year and the next chapter of a story that has never stopped being told.

At the center of it all is six-time Grammy Award-winning artist, producer, and New Orleans native PJ Morton, named Grand Marshal of Black Music Month 2026. Morton will headline the month with the opening of the Saturday Night Sunday Morning exhibition on June 18 — a world-premiere tribute to his life and artistry featuring artifacts, a listening party for his forthcoming album, an exclusive on-site merchandise pop-up, and the opportunity to purchase his new viny! a full day before its official release. The exhibition runs through September 30, 2026.

“PJ Morton is not just one of the most gifted musicians of his generation — he is a living embodiment of everything Black Music Month celebrates,” said Bill Jeffries, Executive Director of NMAAM. “Having him serve as our Grand Marshal in our fifth anniversary year is an honor that reflects exactly where this museum stands: at the intersection of legacy and tomorrow.”

LIVING LEGENDS. RISING VOICES. ONE MONTH.
Joining PJ Morton across more than 15 signature events are some of the most important names in Black music. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and P-Funk founder George Clinton headlines a live We Sound Crazy podcast taping on June 3. Singer-songwriter and Color Me Country Radio founder Rissi Palmer anchors BEEN Country on June 5 – NMAAM’s annual CMA Fest showcase — alongside four emerging artists from the Color Me Country community. Six-decade iconoclast Swamp Dogg brings his new album to an intimate conversation and artifact donation on June 6. And jazz-funk legends The Blackbyrds – whose catalog has been sampled by Tupac Shakur, Nas, De La Soul, MF Doom, and Grandmaster Flash — make a historic Nashville return as part of NMAAM’s Institutional Summit on June 17. Additional artist announcements will follow.

Media Contact: Sydnie Davis, Marketing Manager
marketing@nmaam.org | (629) 234-8718 | nmaam.org