The Soul Train Awards’ Return is a Win Worth Celebrating
By Elizabeth Paige Richardson | September 4, 2026 | Celebrity & Culture
The Soul Train Awards is officially grooving its way back to airwaves during awards season this November. It marks the end of BET’s three-year pause on the ceremony and a return to its roots—with an added twist, of course.
The ceremony will be coming back home to Chicago, over 50 years after producer Don Cornelius introduced the world to Soul Train in 1971. Viewers who watched the 2023 broadcast will notice that the show is getting a refreshed format this year, with current artists and established legends sharing the stage.
The news is a much-needed breath of fresh air after a run of troubling news surrounding Black media. In recent weeks, we’ve endured headlines about cancellations coming left and right (Wonder Man, Blade), and head-scratching takes on beloved TV shows (Raven-Symoné questioning whether 2000s hit That’s So Raven was rooted in Blackness).
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- 2006 host Vivica A. Fox
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- 2023 host Keke Palmer
In case you need a reminder, many unforgettable moments in Black music history have played out on the Soul Train Awards’ stage during its nearly 40-year existence. There was the inspiring “There is nothing minor about you” speech delivered by Prince as he accepted Artist of the Decade in 2000. Some were etched into history for their controversy, like young Whitney Houston being booed while receiving an award at the 1989 show. But good or bad, the ceremony has always had a hand in shaping the culture and conversations.
Stay tuned for the host lineup and performances to be announced.
The Soul Train Awards airs on November 27 at 8 p.m. ET on BET and CBS.
Photo Credit: Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold, Getty/Getty
