Art News

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

WASHINGTON, D.C.- The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture has acquired a variety of set props and artifacts from the legendary Soul Train franchise. In celebration of its 40th anniversary, Soul Train has donated a collection of iconic signs to be displayed in the museum’s music and popular culture exhibitions when it opens to the public in 2015. Throughout its rich history, spanning from 1971 to 2006, Soul Train featured performances by the most recognized names in R&B, soul and hip-hop. The show’s legacy also includes an important cross-cultural influence on American music, fashion and dance trends. The museum’s acquisition includes several iconic objects: two 10-feet-wide neon signs used on the series between 1993 and 2006—one featuring the program’s signature dancing Soul Train and the other displaying the television show’s name. Also in the collection i