This article gives an outline of activities and materials chosen to create an English listening and speaking course which features African American singers. After briefly offering a rationale for this focus, the author describes the activities common to each of 11 core lessons in the course. With some variations, these are similar to what the author has previously described as the ‘three-block method’. Then a listing is provided of materials selected from a range of musical genres: jazz, acoustic and electric blues, gospel, soul, and crossover. Artists featured include Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, The Rev. Gary Davis, Son House, Howlin’ Wolf, B.B. King, the O’Neal Twins, Al Green, Ray Charles, James Brown, Sam and Dave, Otis Redding, the Supremes, Martha and the Vandellas, Ike and Tina Turner, and Michael Jackson. At the end of the article, the author offers his own pedagogic reflections on the course with the aid of questionnaire statements written by participants.