Music matters: 2 Black-owned record labels changed history FacebookTwitterEmail 2of6 3of6 5of6 6of6 Just because we can’t attend physical events doesn’t mean there’s not a lot of cool stuff happening around the Capital Region. Last week, I had the good fortune to be part of one. On Feb. 13, the Albany Institute of History & Art held a virtual presentation entitled Black Swan Records and Motown Records – African-American Independent Music Companies. The class, conducted through Zoom by local music historian Donald Hyman, took the few dozen participants on a journey through two of the most important labels in American music and cultural history.