"Jazz is a white term to define black people. My music is black classical music"

Nina Simone’s assertion, “Jazz is a white term to define black people. My music is black classical music,” challenges both the categorization and the ownership of musical genres. Her words confront the way African American musical innovation, rooted in lived experiences of Black Americans, was often labelled, framed, and commodified by white institutions. The term “jazz,” which became popular as the music spread beyond Black communities, was frequently used by white critics, marketers, and audiences to group diverse Black musical forms under one umbrella, often stripping them of their origins and complexity.

Simone implies that this labelling process served to diminish the artistry and sophistication of what Black musicians were creating. Associating “jazz” with entertainment, dance, and improvisation sometimes implicitly placed it in opposition to “serious” genres like European classical music, which carried greater prestige and recognition. By rejecting the term “jazz” for her own work, Simone refuses to let white society define her or her culture’s art according to its own paradigms, which historically marginalized Black artists and their contributions. Describing her music as “black classical music” boldly elevates its status and claims its rightful place alongside the respected traditions of Western classical music.

Simone’s declaration insists on recognizing the depth, rigor, imagination, and tradition embedded in Black musical forms. She roots herself within a lineage that is both distinct from and equal to that of Mozart, Beethoven, or Chopin. This perspective compels listeners to confront how cultural gatekeeping, racial bias, and commercial interests shape the cultural narrative around music in America. At its heart, her statement is an act of reclamation, a demand for authority over her creative identity and for honor and respect for the traditions from which her music emerges. It beckons us toward a broader, more inclusive appreciation of the world’s musical masterpieces and the cultures from which they arise.