Soul Train

Soul Train was a television show that gave Black music, dance and fashion a national stage. Created by Don Cornelius, it began on WCIU-TV in Chicago on August 17, 1970, and went national in 1971.

From Chicago to the nation

The show was billed as a Black American Bandstand, with young African American dancers performing to live music by Black musicians. In its second season, in 1971, it moved to Los Angeles and was broadcast nationally for the first time. Cornelius was its creator, executive producer and host.

What viewers saw

Each episode opened with a cartoon train and a whistle. Performances were often lip-synced, though most were live. The first dancers, who came from Locke, Crenshaw and Dorsey high schools, performed line dancing that showed off individual skills, the feature that became known as the Soul Train Line. Cornelius closed each show with "Love, peace, and soul!"

Artists

Performers included James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson, the Jackson 5, the Staple Singers and Gladys Knight and the Pips. In the 1980s the show introduced hip-hop artists to a national audience.

Honors and end of the run

The Soul Train Music Awards began in 1987. Cornelius was inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame in 1995 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006, the year the show ended after its 35th season and about 1,100 episodes.

References

1. Soul Train (1970-2006), BlackPast.
2. A History of Soul Train, From Chicago and Beyond, WBEZ.
3. Love, peace and Soul Train: On Aug. 17, 1970, the hippest trip in America started in Chicago, Chicago Sun-Times.