Star-Studded Event Celebrates First African American Museum

A star-studded audience gathered at the Kennedy Center, in Washington, D.C., for a night entitled “Taking the Stage: African American Music and Stories That Changed America,” a celebration of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

The event honored musical legends covering other musical legends — like Ne-Yo covering Michael Jackson and John Legend covering Marvin Gaye. Michelle and Barack Obama were in attendance, and they could barely contain themselves when Usher honored musical legend James Brown.

There was hardly a dry eye in the house when Tom Hanks introduced seven surviving members of the Tuskegee Airmen. Colin Powell thanked them for their service.

Then Dave Chappelle tickled funny bones as the presenter honoring great African American comedians. Common, Chuck D, and Doug E. Fresh, were also there to honor poetry and rap, and they couldn’t help but give a shout out to one of the greatest steps made within the African American experience: our first African-American president. After the presidential shout out, Stevie Wonder reminded everyone that we still need to reach even higher ground.

Taking the Stage: African American Music and Stories That Changed America aired on ABC.

Watch Michelle Obama write thank-you notes on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’:

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