Earth, Wind & Fire Make History as First African American Group Inducted Into Kennedy Center Honors

Disco-funk band Earth, Wind and Fire made history as the first African-American Group to be inducted into Kennedy Center Honors.

(L-R) Verdine White, Philip Bailey, and Ralph Johnson of Earth, Wind & Fire perform at the 2016 Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Gala in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Feb. 14, 2016. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

Disco-funk band Earth, Wind & Fire made history on Dec. 8 as the first African American Group to be inducted into Kennedy Center Honors, which recognizes lifetime achievement in the arts.

The group were announced as recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors over the weekend at its 42nd event, which took place at Washington, D.C.’s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.