Why was Whitney Houston so important to black history?

Answer 1

It is not entirely true to say she was important to black history. Whitney Houston was a popular singer with an amazing voice. She sold millions of records at the height of her popularity in the mid 1980s to early 1990s. But she was not the first black female vocalist to have a hit record (that was Mamie Smith back in 1920) nor did she do anything unique or unusual; there have been many successful and popular black female vocalists through the years. It is true that Whitney Houston had a large following, as a result of her hit songs and her successful (but brief) movie career. But while her fans were devastated when she died young at age 48, she did not change society the way Rosa Parks did, nor did she have a direct impact on the culture.

Answer 2

Sad to say, probably not much. It would be nice to report that her death (which was caused in large part by her addiction to cocaine and alcohol) was a wake-up call for other addicts, warning them that they too might die young if they didn't stop using. But in reality, it did not have much of an impact on them. On the other hand, her death was a big loss to her fans and to the music industry; to this day, people who enjoyed her music wish she were still alive.