It was the summer of 1979 and Disco had taken over the world. For the first time, Black, gay and female artists were dominating the charts. But a backlash was brewing. On a July night in 1979, nearly 50,000 White teenagers descended on Chicago’s Comiskey Park for “Disco Demolition Night,” where they destroyed records made by mostly Black artists. Many say that the birth of house music comes from this fateful evening. Mixing cinematic recreation, archival materials, and revelatory interviews with the pioneers of house music, MOVE YA BODY: THE BIRTH OF HOUSE tells this story in a new way, offering a celebration of the power the dance floor has to liberate us all, and an appreciation of the artists that kept the beat going all night long. "More Than Rhythm: A Black Music Series" is an engaging public library film series exploring the sweeping history and evolution of African diasporic music. It traces the journey of rhythm and sound from the West African roots of the banjo to the electronic beats of modern house and funk music. Each film screening will be hosted by a special guest to guide us through this history, with an audience Q & A to follow. San Diego Public Library on Instagram
