Don Cornelius (September 27th, 1936 – February 1st 2012), was the creator and Executive Producer of the nationally syndicated dance and music show Soul Train.
Few television series were as innovative and influential as Soul Train. Set first in Chicago, and later in Los Angeles, the Soul Train dance party reached national significance and became one of the longest running syndicated shows in television history. The show was very instrumental in giving Black artists a platform to showcase their musical talents while influencing and making many contributions to pop culture, music, dance and fashion.
From 1970-2006 the Soul Train series offered a window into the history of Black music and the charismatic host, Don Cornelius, was the man responsible for elevating a new era in Black expression.
Canadian Viola Desmond was born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada and taught black students in the racially-segregated school system there before starting a hairdressing business called Vi’s Studio of Beauty Culture.
Black Wall Street was in Greenwood, suburb of Tulsa, Oklahoma: 1906-1921. O.W. Gurley, a wealthy African-American from Arkansas, moved to Tulsa, purchased over 40 acres of land, and sold to other African-Americans in 1906. The community mobilized it’s resources and rebuilt the Greenwood area within five years of the race riot in spite of political efforts to prevent reconstruction.