Diana Ross and the Supremes

In 1963 Martin Luther King climbed onto a stage to utter words that would become a clarion call for equality for African-Americans. The winds of change were swirling, aggressively demanding justice for a people that were still living under the dark shadow of the abolished but not forgotten slavery. It was an exciting, although not a comfortable time to be an African-American. Women like Dorothy Height (previously discussed in this blog) stood not only against racism, but against sexism too, but there were also less obvious pioneers who planted a stake in the ground that would would be shaken but never moved again.

One year on from King's speech and three African-American women, Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard, were finding a success in the mainstream market that no one of their sex and colour had known before. 'Where Did Our Love Go?' was the first of five consecutive number ones. The second, 'Baby Love', made the number one slot in the UK as well and whilst this was their only number one outside America, their catchy motown sound achieved them a total of twelve number ones in the States, the last coming in 1969 shortly before Diana Ross' departure from the group.

I'm not sure Diana Ross and the Supremes were about making a statement about race, but that is surely what makes them such an effective statement. Ross said, "You can't just sit there and wait for people to give you that golden dream. You've got to go out there and make it happen for yourself," and that's what she did. She must have been aware of the potential barriers, but it seems that the Supremes clattered through them nonetheless. Other African-American all-female groups had eschewed femininity and tried to replicate the limited success that some African-American males had had, but the Supremes were proud girly girls who took to the stage in heavy make-up and elegant gowns. King was clearly a hero, but Diana and her mates are important too, if only for being a cultural phenomenon that crossed destroyed barriers by just being pretty good at what they do.