Yesterday, Don Cornelius, the man who started the groundbreaking Saturday morning show “Soul Train,” was found dead at 75 years old from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. After an incredibly successful career and having altered the face of American music, he was ultimately not able to overcome his personal struggles.

Cornelius’s contributions to music can’t be overlooked. Dan Charnas writes at NPR,

Cornelius insisted on as much black presence behind the cameras as he induced in front of them, and he was one of the first black moguls to expand his brand beyond its origins: producing records (Cornelius was the executive producer behind the bubblegum-soul group Shalamar) and, eventually, award shows.

Cornelius’ cultural impact, however, went beyond the confines of black business ...