Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas not only recorded an anthem for the civil rights era – they fought for fair pay and proudly called themselves divas

Classic songs ‘Nowhere to Run’ and ‘Dancing in the Street’ captured the revolutionary spirit of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.

By: Austin McCoy, West Virginia University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: April 16, 2026

Words: 1,457

Last Updated: 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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By Austin McCoy, West Virginia University

The CBS television show “It’s What’s Happening Baby” aired a music video featuring Martha and the Vandellas performing their hit song “Nowhere to Run” to kick off its national broadcast dedicated to Detroit on June 28, 1965.

In the video, the Detroit-based trio sang about how they could not escape missing an ex-lover after a breakup while sitting in a white Mustang moving slowly down the assembly …

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