The Cultural Impact of Soul Train

The Jackson 5 performing on Soul Train.
Remember Soul Train? The Don Cornelius hosted dance show first aired October 2, 1971 and lasted 'til 2006, having over 1,100 episodes aired during its run. Soul Train featured various genres dominated primarily by Black artists and even showcased notable performances by Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, James Brown, The Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, and many more.

Before Soul Train, there had existed no other national TV programs produced by Black people for Black people. It would become one of the longest-running first-run, nationally syndicated programs in American television history. Watch a collection of episodes below: