DATE YEAR ANNIVERSARY IN 2014 1-Jan 2014 2-Jan 2014 3-Jan 2014 4-Jan 2014 5-Jan 2014 6-Jan 1980 34 7-Jan 2014 8-Jan 2014 9-Jan 2014 10-Jan 2014 11-Jan 2014 12-Jan 1959 55 13-Jan 2014 14-Jan 2014 15-Jan 1981 33 16-Jan 1984 30 EVENT Georgeanna Tillman (original member of the Marvelettes) died of sickle cell anemia. Berry Gordy borrowed $800 from the family loan fund, the Ber-Berry Coop, in Detroit to found Motown Records. Stevie Wonder helped to organize a rally on Washington in support of making MLK Day a national holiday. The eleventh annaul American Music Awards air on ABC-TV and are hosted by Lionel Richie, who won the favorite soul single award for "All Night Long." Michael Jackson won seven awards as well as the Award of Merit. 17-Jan 2014 18-Jan 1941 73 David Ruffin's birthday (The Miracles) 19-Jan 2014
20-Jan 1986 28 First MLK Day was held and celebrated with a large concert, headlined by Stevie Wonder. 21-Jan 2014 22-Jan 1964 50 A historic year in Mississippi began with Fannie Lou Hamer and other civil rights activists marching around the Forrest County Courthouse in support of black voting rights. 23-Jan 2014 24-Jan 1961 53 Theo Peoples (of The Four Tops)'s birthday 25-Jan 2014 26-Jan 1965 49 The Supremes perform "Where Did Our Love Go" on the NBC variety program "Hullabaloo!" 27-Jan 2014 28-Jan 2014 29-Jan 2014 30-Jan 2014 31-Jan 1971 43 1-Feb 1970 44 2-Feb 2014 3-Feb 2014 4-Feb 2014 5-Feb 2014 6-Feb 2014 7-Feb 1964 50 The Temptations' final Ed Sullivan performance, a few months before the show went off the air. The first celebration of African American History Month occurred at Kent State University in February of 1970 The Beatles arrive at New York City s JFK International Airport to a huge crowd of screaming for the first U.S. tour and concert at Carnegie Hall beginning Beatlemania.
8-Feb 2014 9-Feb 1964 50 The Beatles appear on The Ed Sullivan Show for the first time. Motown artists covered Beatles songs fairly often during the 1960s. 10-Feb 2014 11-Feb 2014 12-Feb 2014 13-Feb 2014 14-Feb 2014 15-Feb 1941 73 Brian Holland's birthday 16-Feb 1966 48 The Marvelettes make their first appearance on Hullabaloo. 17-Feb 1966 48 The Supremes return to the Copacabana in New York. 18-Feb 2014 19-Feb 1940 74 Smokey Robinson's birthday 20-Feb 1966 48 The Supremes return to the Ed Sullivan Show. 21-Feb 1970 44 22-Feb 1976 38 23-Feb 2014 24-Feb 2014 25-Feb 2014 26-Feb 2014 27-Feb 2014 28-Feb 2014 1-Mar 2014 The Jackson 5 perform "I Want You Back" and debut "ABC" on "American Bandstand," and Micheal Jackson is interviewed on TV for the first time. Florence Ballard (former Supreme) dies of cardiac arrest at age thirty-two in Detroit.
2-Mar 1938 76 3-Mar 2014 4-Mar 1966 48 5-Mar 1985 29 Lawrence Payton (founding member of The Four Tops)'s birthday The Supremes appear on "The Sammy Davis Show." Television special "Motown salutes the Apollo" broadcast from Harlem to celebrate the Apollo Theater's grand reopening and 50th anniversary. *Deceased 6-Mar 1944 70 7-Mar 1965 49 Mary Wilson (founding member of The Supremes)'s birthday State troopers violently attack peaceful demonstrators led by Martin Luther King, Jr., as they try to cross the Pettus Bridge in Selma, Al. Fifty marchers are hospitalized on "Bloody Sunday," after police use tear gas, whips, and clubs against them. 8-Mar 2014 9-Mar 2014 10-Mar 2014 11-Mar 2014 12-Mar 1957 57 Marlon Jackson's birthday 13-Mar 2014 14-Mar 2014 15-Mar 2014 16-Mar 1970 44 Tammi Terrell died of a brain tumor. 17-Mar 2014 18-Mar 2014 19-Mar 2014 20-Mar 1965 49 The Temptations go to England to tape "Ready Set Go" tv show 21-Mar 2014 22-Mar 2014
23-Mar 2014 24-Mar 1966 48 The Supremes appear on "The Dean Martin Show." 25-Mar 1983 31 Motown holds a cellebration of their 25th anniversary at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium to be broadcast by NBC-TV in May. 26-Mar 1944 70 Diana Ross's birthday 27-Mar 2014 28-Mar 2014 29-Mar 2014 30-Mar 2014 31-Mar 1968 46 Smokey Robinson and The Miracles debut on The Ed Sullivan Show. 1-Apr 1984 30 Marvin Gaye is killed by a gunshot wound inflicted by his father. 2-Apr 1939 75 Marvin Gaye's birthday 3-Apr 2014 4-Apr 1968 46 Martin Luther King, Jr., is assassinated in Memphis, Tenn. 5-Apr 1939 75 Ronnie White's birthday (The Miracles) 6-Apr 2014 7-Apr 2014 8-Apr 2014 9-Apr 2014 10-Apr 2014 11-Apr 1968 46 President Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1968, prohibiting discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing 12-Apr 2006 8 It was announced that Martha and the Vandellas' version of "Dancing in the Street" would be one of 50 sound recordings preserved by the Library of Congress to the National Recording Registry
13-Apr 2014 Marve 14-Apr 2014 15-Apr 2014 16-Apr 1963 51 17-Apr 1964 50 18-Apr 1971 43 King writes his famous "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" in which he responds to eight white Alabama ministers who urged him to end the protests. The first Ford Mustang is introduced Ford Motor Company. Diana Ross' first television special, "Diana!" is broadcast on ABC-TV and features the Jackson 5 and Bill Cosby. The soundtrack albumn was issued by Motown at the end of March 1971. 19-Apr 1967 47 Stokely Carmichael, a leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), coins the phrase "black power" in a speech in Seattle. 20-Apr 1966 48 Marvin Gaye makes his Canadian nightclub debut in Vancouver. 21-Apr 2014 22-Apr 2014 23-Apr 2014 24-Apr 2014 25-Apr 2014 26-Apr 2014 27-Apr 2014 28-Apr 2014 29-Apr 1945 69 Tammi Terrell's birthday *Deceased 30-Apr 1971 43 The new Supremes (Jean Terrell, Cindy Birdsong, and Mary Wilson) appear on "The David Frost Show."
1-May 1972 42 Marvin Gaye makes a rare concert appearance at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. on "Marvin Gaye Day." 2-May 2014 3-May 1964 50 Stevie Wonder's first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Ed introduced him as Detroit s amazing 13-year-old singing star." 4-May 1943 71 Nicholas Ashford's birthday *Deceased 5-May 2014 6-May 2014 7-May 1939 75 Jimmy Ruffin's birthday 8-May 2014 9-May 2014 10-May 1970 44 The Jackson 5's second Ed Sullivan appearance, singing two of their hits: I Want You Back and "ABC. 11-May 2014 12-May 2014 13-May 1943 71 Mary Wells' birthday 14-May 2014 15-May 2014 16-May 2014 17-May 1954 60 Racial segration in schools is declared unconstitutional. 18-May 2014 19-May 1985 29 NBC-TV aired a three-hour television special, "Motown Returns to the Apollo," which coincided with the reopening of the newly restored Apollo Theater in Harlem, marking its fiftieth anniversary. The special later won an Emmy for best variety, music, or comedy program.
20-May 2014 21-May 2014 22-May 2014 23-May 2014 24-May 2014 25-May 2014 26-May 1966 48 27-May 2014 28-May 1967 47 29-May 2014 30-May 2014 31-May 2014 1-Jun 1969 45 2-Jun 2014 3-Jun 2014 4-Jun 2014 5-Jun 2014 6-Jun 1936 78 7-Jun 2014 8-Jun 2014 9-Jun 2014 10-Jun 2014 Marvin Gaye begins two-week engagement at the Whiskey A Go Go in Los Angeles. The Temptations debut on Ed Sullivan, performing a medley of hits including All I Need, My Girl and I Know I m Losing You. Smokey Robinson and The Miracles' second and final appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Diana Ross was in the audience. Levi Stubbs (founding member of The Four Tops)'s birthday *Deceased
11-Jun 1963 51 After President John F. Kennedy went on television asking Americans to support his civil rights bill, Medgar Evers, NAACP state field secretary was assassinated in his driveway. 12-Jun 1977 37 The Supremes performed their farewell concert at the Drury Lane Theater in London. 13-Jun 2014 14-Jun 1936 78 Renaldo "Obie" Benson (founding member of The Four Tops)'s birthday 15-Jun 1960 54 Lawrence Payton, Jr. (of The Four Tops)'s birthday 16-Jun 1941 73 Lamont Duzier's birthday 17-Jun 2014 18-Jun 2014 19-Jun 1966 48 Marvin Gaye's only Ed Sullivan appearance. *Deceased *Deceased Despite his two #1 hits, I ll Be Doggone and Ain t That Peculiar, he opted to sing Take This Heart of Mine in an effort to showcase himself as an album-oriented artist. The performance launched the song from relative obscurity to #16 on the Billboard R&B Chart. 20-Jun 2014 21-Jun 2014 22-Jun 1938 76 Joe Louis defeated Max Schmeling in the boxing ring, following the opposite resut from their match two years earlier.
23-Jun 1964 50 24-Jun 2014 25-Jun 2014 26-Jun 2014 27-Jun 1964 50 28-Jun 2014 29-Jun 1969 45 30-Jun 1943 71 1-Jul 2014 2-Jul 1964 50 3-Jul 2014 4-Jul 2014 5-Jul 2014 6-Jul 2014 7-Jul 2014 8-Jul 1963 51 9-Jul 2014 10-Jul 2014 Stevie Wonder releases his fourth album, "Stevie at the Beach," recorded while he was in Hollywood filming "Muscle Beach Party" and "Bikini Beach." Both starred Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello U.S. sends 5,000 more military advisers to South Vietnam, bringing the total number of U.S. forces in Vietnam to 21,000. Shorty Long, composer of "Devil With a Blue Dress," died in a boating accident on the Detroit River. Florence Ballard and Betty McGlown (two founding member of The Supremes)'s birthdays President Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination of all kinds based on race, color, religion, or national origin. 12-year-old Stevie Wonder made his network television debut on "American Bandstand," singing "Fingertips." *Both are deceased
11-Jul 2014 12-Jul 2014 13-Jul 2014 14-Jul 2014 15-Jul 2014 16-Jul 2014 17-Jul 2014 18-Jul 1941 73 Martha Reeves' birthday 19-Jul 2014 20-Jul 2014 21-Jul 2014 22-Jul 2014 23-Jul 2014 24-Jul 2014 25-Jul 2014 26-Jul 2014 27-Jul 2014 28-Jul 1984 30 29-Jul 2014 30-Jul 2014 31-Jul 2014 1-Aug 2014 2-Aug 2014 3-Aug 2014 4-Aug 2014 5-Aug 2014 6-Aug 2014 7-Aug 2014 8-Aug 2014 Vicki McClure sang Diana Ross' "Reach Out and Touch" for a TV audience of about 2.5 billion people during the Opening Ceremonies of the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, CA.
9-Aug 2014 10-Aug 1965 49 11-Aug 1965 49 12-Aug 1985 29 Congress passes the Voting Rights Act of 1965, making it easier for Southern blacks to register to vote by banning literacy tests, poll taxes, and other such requirements that were used to restrict black voting. The beginning of a six day riot in Watts, a black section of Los Angeles that led to 35 people being killed and 883 injured. Mick Jagger and David Bowie released a cover of Martha and the Vandellas' "Dancing in the Street" part of the Live Aid charity movement with all profits going to the charity. The single topped the UK charts for four weeks, and reached number seven in the US. 13-Aug 1967 47 The Jackson brothers (Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael, singing lead) won the famous Amateur Night competition at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem and caught the attention of Motown. 14-Aug 2014 15-Aug 2014 16-Aug 2014 17-Aug 2013 1 18-Aug 2014 19-Aug 2014 20-Aug 1966 48 21-Aug 2014 22-Aug 2014 The Marvelettes were inducted into The Official R&B Music Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. The Temptations perform "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" on "American Bandstand."
23-Aug 2014 24-Aug 2014 25-Aug 2014 26-Aug 1948 66 Valerie Simpson's birthday 27-Aug 2014 28-Aug 1963 51 Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "I have a dream.." speech. 250,000 attended the March on Washington for Jobs and, making it the largest demonstration eve seen in the nation's capital. 29-Aug 1958 56 Michael Jackson's birthday 30-Aug 2014 31-Aug 2014 1-Sep 2014 2-Sep 2014 3-Sep 2014 4-Sep 2014 5-Sep 2014 6-Sep 2014 7-Sep 2014 8-Sep 2014 9-Sep 1971 43 The Jackson 5 draw 23,000 to the Michigan State Fair. 10-Sep 2014 11-Sep 2014 12-Sep 2014 13-Sep 1965 49 The Supremes appear on Hullabaloo. 14-Sep 1970 44 Stevie Wonder marries Syreeta Wright (aka Rita Wright) in Detroit. 15-Sep 2014 16-Sep 1964 50 Shindig! premieres live on the ABC, featuring the top musical acts of the 1960 s. 17-Sep 2014
18-Sep 2014 19-Sep 1971 43 20-Sep 2014 "Goin' Back To Indiana," a television special hosted by the Jackson 5 and featured guests like Bill Cosby and Tommy Smothers, aired on ABC- TV. 21-Sep 1965 49 The Supremes appear on the Red Skelton Show. 22-Sep 2014 23-Sep 2014 24-Sep 2014 25-Sep 2014 26-Sep 2014 27-Sep 2014 28-Sep 2014 29-Sep 2014 30-Sep 2014 1-Oct 2014 2-Oct 2014 3-Oct 2014 4-Oct 2014 5-Oct 2014 6-Oct 1997 17 Whitney Houston as performed "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" a part of her medley tribute to Diana Ross at her "Classic Whitney Live from Washington, D.C." concert which was broadcast live on HBO. 7-Oct 2014 8-Oct 2014 9-Oct 2014 10-Oct 1939 75 Eddie Holland's birthday 11-Oct 2014 12-Oct 2014
13-Oct 2014 14-Oct 1964 50 15-Oct 1964 50 16-Oct 2011 3 17-Oct 2014 18-Oct 1969 45 19-Oct 2014 20-Oct 2014 21-Oct 2014 22-Oct 2014 23-Oct 2014 24-Oct 2014 25-Oct 2014 26-Oct 2014 27-Oct 2014 28-Oct 2014 29-Oct 2014 Martin Luther King Jr. won the Noble Peace Prize at 35 years old. At the time he was the youngest person to win the prize. The Supremes made their UK debut television performance on the BBC program "Top of the Pops." Stevie Wonder performed his single, "Happy Birthday" at the dedication ceremony for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The Jackson 5 were introduced to a national audience by Diana Ross on the ABC variety show "The Hollywood Palace."
30-Oct 2001 13 "Artists Against AIDS Worldwide" released an album containing multiple versions of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" to benefit AIDS programs in Africa and other impoverished regions.jermaine Dupri and Bono produced the radio single version, which included Britney Spears, Ja Rule, Nas, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Lopez, Nelly Furtado, Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit, Destiny's Child, Wyclef Jean, Lil' Kim, Backstreet Boys, Monica, Gaye's daughter Nona, and many others.the song was recorded shortly before the September 11, 2001 attacks, and a portion of the song's proceeds benefitted the American Red Cross' September 11 fund as well. 31-Oct 2014 1-Nov 2014 2-Nov 2014 3-Nov 1930 84 Mable John's birthday. 4-Nov 2014 5-Nov 1972 42 A half-hour television special, "The Jackson 5 Show," is broadcast on CBS-TV. 6-Nov 2014 7-Nov 1959 55 Smokey Robinson married Claudette Rogers. (Both are members of the Miracles). 8-Nov 2014 The Four Tops appear on "The Ed Sullivan Show." 9-Nov 2014 10-Nov 2014 11-Nov 2014
12-Nov 1969 45 The musical comedy tv special, "Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations on Broadway" aired on NBC-TV. 13-Nov 1961 53 Harold Bonhart (of The Four Tops)'s birthday 14-Nov 2014 15-Nov 2014 16-Nov 2014 17-Nov 2014 18-Nov 1965 49 The Supremes appear on the Dean Martin Show. 19-Nov 1967 47 The Ed Sullivan Show featured two of Motown s biggest acts, The Supremes and The Temptations, in the same night. The Supremes sang The Temptations hits ( Get Ready and I m Losing You ), while The Temptations performed The Supremes hits ( Stop! In The Name of Love, and Baby Love ). The success of this musical pairing inspired NBC to give them two primetime specials. 20-Nov 2014 21-Nov 1978 36 Berry Gordy, Sr. dies. 22-Nov 1963 51 President Kennedy is assassinated. Lyndon B. Johnson, pushes through civil rights legislation in Kennedy's memory. 23-Nov 1968 46 "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" (Marvin Gaye version) started a 7 week run at number 1 on the charts. 24-Nov 2014 25-Nov 2014 26-Nov 2014 27-Nov 2014 28-Nov 1979 35 Berry Gordy's birthday
29-Nov 2014 30-Nov 2014 1-Dec 1987 27 A historical marker is placed in front of the original Hitsville building at 2648 West Grand Blvd. as part of the State of Michigan's 150th anniversary celebration. Michigan Governor James Blanchard, Detroit Mayor Coleman A. Young, Motown Vice President Smokey Robinson, and Esther Gordy Edwards, current president of the Motown Historical Museum which is located at the site, were all in attendence. 2-Dec 2014 3-Dec 2014 4-Dec 1960 54 Jackie Wilson makes his first Ed Sullivan Show appearance. 5-Dec 2014 6-Dec 1965 49 The Supremes appear on Hullabaloo. 7-Dec 2014 8-Dec 2014 9-Dec 2014 10-Dec 2014 11-Dec 1954 60 Jermaine Jackson's birthday 12-Dec 2014 13-Dec 2014 14-Dec 1951 63 Ronnie McNeir (of The Four Tops)'s birthday 15-Dec 1939 75 Cidy Birdsong's birthday 16-Dec 2014 17-Dec 2014 Eddie Kendrick's birthday (The Temptations) Sang "To Be Loved," "Lonely Teardrops," and "Alone At Last." Also the Jackson 5's first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, including I Want You Back as the set's third song.
18-Dec 2014 19-Dec 2014 20-Dec 1968 46 21-Dec 1956 58 A one-hour musical variety special,"the Smokey Robinson Show," airs on ABC-TV. "T.C.B.-Taking Care of Business," Motown's first television special aired on NBC-TV and Diana Ross and the Supremes and The Temptations hosted and performed. Montgomery's buses become desegregated after a year-long bus boycott launched by the black community protesting the arrest of Rosa Parks for refusing give up her seat at the front of the "colored section" of a bus to a white passenger. 22-Dec 2014 23-Dec 2014 24-Dec 2014 25-Dec 2014 26-Dec 1935 79 Abdul "Duke" Fakir (of The Four Tops)'s birthday *Only surviving founding member 27-Dec 1964 50 28-Dec 2014 29-Dec 2014 30-Dec 2014 31-Dec 2014 The Supremes made their first of 17 live appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show performing "Come See About Me."