This article presents a model of an effective unit of study in which music played a vital role. The unit of study was created and implemented in a New York City middle school, and students examined an African American community in the borough of Brooklyn. The unit enabled students to explore the history, heritage, and culture of a local community through music, visual arts, and language arts. Students shared the results of their studies with their peers and the public in a culminating event. Teachers in any community can successfully adapt this concept to focus on any of the ethnic and cultural groups that are part of our country. Contains 6 end notes.