Don Cornelius

CTL-E-2596 · Person · other · 1936–2012

VERIFIED evidence grade of this record

Chicago-born television creator and host (1936–2012) who created Soul Train on WCIU-TV in 1970 and became the first Black owner of a nationally syndicated TV show.

The record

Also known as: Donald Cortez Cornelius

Relationships

Soul Train — Chicago roots — founded
Don Cornelius founded the Soul Train show (the Chicago-roots institution), which he created, hosted, and executive-produced.
WVON 1450 AM ('The Voice of the Negro') / Midway Broadcasting Corporation — affiliated with
Don Cornelius was a WVON air personality before creating Soul Train.

Referenced by

Listening to Black radio DJs as daily companionship (the 'Good Guys' era) — related to → this record
Soul Train archive (television) — founded by → this record
Soul Train — Chicago roots — founded by → this record
Watching Soul Train (the Chicago years) — related to → this record

Sources

NPR Illinois — 'Soul Train' Creator Don Cornelius Dies At 75

Record CTL-E-2596 · CultureTechLens Knowledge Graph · evidence grade: VERIFIED · 1 source · 6 mapped relationships · CTL research: RELP-001.
Directory: all entity records · the knowledge graph

Cite this record

Cite as: CultureTechLens, “Don Cornelius (CTL-E-2596),” CultureTechLens Knowledge Graph, October 2026. https://culturetechlens.com/graph/entities/ctl-e-2596/

Chicago: CultureTechLens. “Don Cornelius (CTL-E-2596).” CultureTechLens Knowledge Graph. Chicago, IL: CultureTechLens, 2026. https://culturetechlens.com/graph/entities/ctl-e-2596/
APA: CultureTechLens. (2026). Don Cornelius (CTL-E-2596) [Entity record]. CultureTechLens Knowledge Graph. https://culturetechlens.com/graph/entities/ctl-e-2596/
MLA: CultureTechLens. “Don Cornelius (CTL-E-2596).” CultureTechLens Knowledge Graph, 2026, https://culturetechlens.com/graph/entities/ctl-e-2596/

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Apartment houses and funeral parlor in Negro section of Chicago, Illinois, Chicago, 1941Photo: Lee, Russell, 1903-1986, FSA-OWI, Public Domain, via Library of Congress

Crowd outside of fashionable Negro church after Easter Sunday service, Black Belt, Chicago, Illinois, Chicago, 1941Photo: Rosskam, Edwin, 1903-1985, FSA-OWI, Public Domain, via Library of Congress

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