BET Brings Soul Train Awards to Chicago

Why it matters

The move brings the long-running awards show to Chicago, the city where Soul Train was launched in 1972, and marks a return of the ceremony after a two-year break. The partnership with the city's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events ties the broadcast to a public, city-hosted celebration.

The details

Queen Latifah hosted a Wednesday night event at the Obama Presidential Center, where she showed clips from her documentary "You Can Go Home Again," which follows her effort to build affordable housing in Newark, N.J. Anthony Anderson will host the Soul Train Awards, which will be taped Nov. 5 at the Harris Theater.

Timeline

1. Wednesday, Nov. 4: Queen Latifah event at the Obama Presidential Center and free "Soul in the City" party at the Chicago Cultural Center.

2. Nov. 5: Soul Train Awards ceremony taped at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance.

3. Nov. 27, 7 p.m.: Soul Train Awards broadcast on BET and CBS.

Legacy Return

The Soul Train franchise began in Chicago in 1972 under Don Cornelius, and this taping returns the awards ceremony to the city where that run started. The return follows a two-year hiatus for the ceremony, which is nearly 40 years old.

The takeaway

Event timing and broadcast details are set, so viewers planning to watch should note the Nov. 27 broadcast time on BET and CBS. The return to Chicago reflects the franchise's roots in the city.

What happens next

The Soul Train Awards will be taped Nov. 5 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance and broadcast Nov. 27 at 7 p.m. on BET and CBS.

Further reading

For more on the genre, see R&B coverage across the site.