Motown Archives - The Race Card Project

OSMONDS BETTER THAN JACKSON 5, WHY?

February 25, 2019February 25, 2019 1960, Chippewa Falls, Jackson 5, Juleah Richards, Minneapolis, mixed, MN, Motown, music, neighborhood, Osmonds, red river valley, WI

Juleah Richards,
Chippewa Falls, WI.

BORN IN 1960; ST.PAUL MINN. LIVED IN WONDERFULLY MIXED NEIGHBORHOODS IN SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS UNTIL I WAS 10YRS OLD. MY MOM MARRIED A FARMER FROM RED RIVER VALLEY. WE MOVED TO SPOT 10 MILES FROM NORTH DAKOTA AND 90MI FROM CANADA. THERE WERE ONLY SCANDINAVIANS AND FRENCH FOLKS. NONE OF MY PEERS HAD EVER BEEN “EXPOSED” TO ANYONE WHO DID NOT LOOK LIKE THEMSELVES. I ADORED MOTOWN MUSIC (MY SIBS MUCH OLDER) AND THE JACKSON 5 WERE WHO I DANCED TO…WELL, MY NEW FRIENDS THOUGHT I WAS VERY EXOTIC WHEN I SHOWED THEM HOW TO “BLACK DANCE” – (FOURSQUARE ANYONE?). AT 10YRS OLD I WAS TAUGHT A BASIC TRUTH. PEOPLE FEAR WHAT THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND.

Again I was barred from dancing.

December 17, 2015December 17, 2015 black club, dancing, Ed Sullivan, KS, Motown, Stephen Pagel, The Temptations, white, Wichita

Stephen Pagel
Wichita, KS

In my early years I saw The Temptations on The Ed Sullivan show and was blown away not only by their singing, but especially by their moves. Through them I discovered the Motown sound, and Stax, and The Philly grove and learned I had natural rhythm. When I hit college, started going out and dancing people realized I could hold my own on the dance floor. One night some friends asked me to join them at a club. When we arrived I was told I was not welcome. Several times these friends would invite me to a new club in their neighborhood and when other friends asked why I was back on campus so early I’d say “Again I was barred from dancing.” I love dancing and all I wanted to do was dance with these friends or see live a group I really enjoyed, yet back in the early 70’s there were clubs I was not allowed in because I was white.

Join the Newsletter

Info

Join our community