*On this date in 1971, Soul Train aired on television. This African American music-dance television program aired in syndication until March 27, 2006.
In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, Soul, dance/pop, and hip-hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists also appeared. The series was created by Don Cornelius, who also served as its first host and executive producer. Production was suspended following the 2005–2006 season, with a rerun package (known as The Best of Soul Train) airing for two years subsequently.
As a nod to Soul Train's longevity, the show's opening sequence during later seasons claimed it was the "longest-running first-run, nationally syndicated program in American television history," with over 1,100 episodes produced from the show's debut through the 2005–2006 season.
Despite the production hiatus, Soul Train held that superlative until 2016, when Entertainment Tonight surpassed it, completing its 35th season. Among non-news programs, Wheel of Fortune surpassed that mark in 2018.
