Ellis Haizlip's public-television variety show SOUL! was America's first "Black Tonight Show" from 1968 to 1973. It showcased unfiltered celebrations of Black literature, poetry, music, and politics, providing a platform for voices that had few other options for national exposure. The series expanded images of African Americans on television, shifting the focus from poverty and violence to the vibrancy of the Black Arts Movement.
Mr. Soul!
Ellis Haizlip's groundbreaking program "SOUL!" revolutionized American television by becoming the country's first Black Tonight Show, airing from 1968 to 1973 on public television.
