If you grew up in the late 1960's and early 1970's, you probably remember television's battle of the music and dance shows: Dick Clark's American Bandstand, Hullabaloo, and Shindig.

The most successful by far was American Bandstand, and that unmistakable big band swing that opened the show meant it was Saturday. All the big acts played the show, and it was all about pop music in its heyday.

That was until Soul Train burst on the scene.

Soul Train was transformational. It was a connection to something beautiful and inspiring for black youth.

And it was a bridge that crossed so many divisions for young white audiences.

VH1 premiered a documentary on producer Don Cornelius' 35-year run with Soul Train that not only influenced music, but fashion, dance, television and film.

The biggest acts in music appeared on Soul Train. At first they lip-synched to whatever record they had just released. But Cornelius soon realized that letting the talent perform live introduced music audiences to something that they wouldn't otherwise see.

Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Sly and the Family Stone, Roberta Flack, the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Barry White, and Al Green - LIVE. Welcome to the state of bliss, folks!

But it was the Soul Train dancers: a group of kids from community centers and schools around LA, who gave the show its vibe.

Some became stars - Jody Watley, for instance. The girl sizzled.

The VH1 documentary pays Cornelius and Soul Train the respect it deserves.

But it omitted one point that embodied that show and separated it from Bandstand or any of the others.

Optimism.

A country that was rocked by race riots just a few years earlier learned that black is beautiful.