On August 20, 1972, Soulsville, USA relocated to Los Angeles for a historical seven-hour concert. The Watts Summer Festival showcased Stax recording artists such as Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, Rufus Thomas and many more.
Stax Museum of American Soul Music is showcasing 60 photographs and other memorabilia from the concert now through January 2005. The exhibit, "Wattstax: It Remains to Be Seen" tells the story of one of the most significant events of the Civil Rights Movement.
"The Wattstax concert is one of the most important events in music history, civil rights history and political history," said Tim Sampson, Communications Director at the Stax museum.
"The message of the concert is just as important today as it was then," Sampson said.
This historical concert would not have taken place without Stax Records.
"As we were planning the concert," said Al Bell a Stax Records Executive, "we realized that when we pull this off, we will have done something that has never been done before."
Over 100,000 people attended the event referred to as, "The Black Woodstock." According to a Stax press release, the concert was the largest gathering of African Americans in history, second only to Dr. Martin Luther King's march on Washington in 1963.
The concert was established several years earlier in hopes of raising money for the community of Watts in Los Angeles. Racial tension was high in the Watts community following the riots in 1965 when most of the community was burned.
In 1972, admission to the historical concert was only $1.00, so that anyone wishing to attend the concert would be able to. The artists performed free of charge and all proceeds went to benefit charities in Watts to allow them to rebuild their community.
Although 100,000 people were in attendance, no violence occurred. The concert was a peaceful and passionate expression of a community trying to unite after riots devastated them. It proved to be an event of soul music and soul solidarity.
Stax Records executives filmed the concert and also interviewed many concert patrons. The interviews helped to capture African American culture during this time of social change.
"If we make a documentary," Bell said, "it should be something that demonstrates to the world that the music we sing is a reflection of what goes on in our lives."
This documentary has now been re-released on DVD with never-before seen footage as well as the concert in its entirety. The DVD along with an audio CD of the concert is available at the Stax Museum.
The Stax Museum will have this exhibit until January, afterwards other museums and galleries will have access to the exhibit. This will help to achieve the mission of Stax Records which is to serve as a catalyst for social change.
"The message of the concert is just as important today as it was then," Sampson said, "students should attend the exhibit because it is so important to Memphis' history."
Tickets at the Stax Museum are $9 for adults, $8 for seniors and military, and $6 for children ages 9-12. For group ticket information call 901-942-SOUL.
