24. The Jackson 5 Got Their Start on the “Chitlin’ Circuit”
The “Chitlin’ Circuit” was the nickname of a group of nightclubs and music venues throughout the Midwest and South that were friendly to black performers. During an era of segregation when even Sammy Davis Jr. was sometimes denied entry with the rest of the Rat Pack, finding black-friendly clubs was a vital part of every black musician’s career. Joe Jackson had his children tour these clubs extensively, including even strip clubs that would traditionally not allow children to enter.