‘Soul Train’ Items Donated to Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Set props and artifacts from the legendary TV show ‘Soul Train’ have been donated to the Smithsonian to be displayed in the museum’s music and popular culture exhibitions, opening to the public in 2015.

"Having the opportunity to share the legacy of Soul Train in this way is an incredible honor," said Knerad Gibbs, CEO of Soul Train Holdings. "The show and its achievements will be immortalized for future generations."

Soul Train is on record as the longest-running African-American-owned and -operated program in television history. It dominated African and white American audiences, and its legacy includes influence on popular culture, dance, fashion and race relations.

"From a scholarly point of view, this is one of those television shows that beamed African American culture to households of black and white America..." said Lonnie G. Bunch, founding director of the museum."We are grateful to Soul Train for donating an important piece of American history and pop culture to our museum."

Check out this vintage performance on Soul Train: