The Motown Story: The First Decade: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

Blue boxed set of five lps. Box has a large white square on the front, centered with a gold record in the middle. In the center of the record is text [THE/FIRST/DECADE] as well as the logo for the Motown Record Corporation with a large "M" and the name below [MOTOWN]. Above the white square is white text [LIMITED EDITION/THE MOWOWN STORY]. In the upper left corner is some small text [STEREO]. In the upper right corner is additional text [MS 5-726]. Below the white square are two (2) lines of white text [58 golden hits that made Motown history (sic) Live, in person interviews/with the artists that recorded them (sic) Presented, in a five volume set.]. On the PL side of the box lid, is a vertical line of white text [THE MOTOWN STORY/THE FIRST DECADE/VOLUME ONE THROUGH FIVE]. On the box's bottom are five (5) columns of text with the song titles and their performers listed.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1970
• Created by: Motown Record Corporation, American, founded 1959
• Produced by: Bill Watson, American
• Recorded by: The Marvelettes, American, 1960 - 1970
• Recorded by: Marvin Gaye, American, 1939 - 1984
• Recorded by: Stevie Wonder, American, born 1950
• Recorded by: The Supremes, American, 1959 - 1977
• Recorded by: The Temptations, American, founded 1960
• Recorded by: Gladys Knight & The Pips, American, 1953 - 1989
• Type: record covers
• Type: long-playing records
• Type: 45 rpm records
• Medium: paper, cardboard, vinyl
• Dimensions: H x W: 12 7/16 × 12 5/16 × 3/4 in. (31.6 × 31.3 × 1.9 cm)
• Dimensions: Diameter (Vinyl Records): 12 1/16 in. (30.6 cm)
• Place made: Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Blues (Music)
• Topic: Business
• Topic: Motown (Music)
• Topic: Rhythm and blues (Music)
• Object number: 2013.201.2a-f
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: © Motown Record Corporation Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.