Five items from the show, including the 10-foot-long neon “Train” sign, will be on display, reports the Washington Post. The show debuted in 1971, and the museum donations mark a celebration of the show’s 40th anniversary.
“From a scholarly point of view, this is one of those television shows that beamed African-American culture to the households of Black and White America …It dominated the Black TV viewership of Black teenagers. And then it impacted White households,” said Lonnie G. Bunch III, Founding Director of the museum. “Like every Black kid in America, I watched to see what the newest move was — even if I couldn’t do it.”
From funky fros to pop locking, “Soul Train” definitely has a special place in our hearts. Thank you, Don Cornelius!