23. The Jackson 5 Won Amateur Night at the Famed Apollo in Harlem
The Apollo Theater in Harlem is an infamous beacon for black cultural acts. Countless comedians, actors, and musicians have gotten their start on the stage of the Apollo. Joe Jackson entered his children’s group, The Jackson 5, in the theater’s weekly amateur night contest as part of their “Chitlin’ Circuit” tour, which they won. Other famous amateur contest winners include Jimi Hendrix, only three years before the Jackson 5 win in 1967.
