One of the speakers on the Bronx Histories panel is Elena Martinez, the Co-Artistic Director of the Bronx Music Heritage Center. The center “is committed to preserving and promoting Bronx music, cultivating Bronx artists, spurring neighborhood revival, and providing free cultural programs for the community.” It’s website has a detailed overview of Bronx music history, placing it within a larger cultural and social history. The site makes it clear that the Bronx has a complex and fascinating music history, from its title of “the Piano Capital of the United States” in the 1880s to its role in giving birth to hip-hop a century later.