(CNN) — You’ve seen the early episodes. Teeth gleaming, hips grooving, and oil-misted ‘fros bouncing to the beat. This was “Soul Train,” the music television series that served as Blackness’ ...

LOS ANGELES — “Soul Train” host Don Cornelius was the arbiter of cool, a brilliant TV showman who used his purring, baritone voice to seduce mainstream America into embracing black music and artists.

Don Cornelius was born and raised in Chicago. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and working a few different jobs, he took a broadcasting course and landed as a news announcer and DJ at a radio ...

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