The Fascinating Foremothers of Destiny's Child.

Telling the stories of the dozens of talented sisters, besides The Supremes in their prime, who gave us the glorious Motown Era

Just as February's Black History Month can't do justice to the contributions of people of African descent, neither can March's Women's History Month do more than make a dent in our understanding of the importance of black women. Whether it's something as intense as war (remember Queen Nzhinga busting heads for Angola's independence?) or as entertaining as music (how about Queen Latifah busting emcees' heads on the mike), women have proved that they can rule all arenas.

The heyday of Motown was a prime example of women running the airwaves, Motown itself showed the world a sister running the management of one of the most popular recording labels of the day. In her autobiography, Berry, Me and Motown (for publication info, please see our "Chart Toppers" box at right), Raymona Gordy Singleton, wrote of her unheralded (and uncredited) co-founding of the hit making institution with her former husband Berry Gordy.

While Gordy Singleton was making an impact behind the scenes, women from Diana Ross and the Supremes to the Marvelettes and Mable John were out in the front crafting a musical fairy tale with the company which began in 1959, not as Motown, but as Hitsville USA. The original Marvelettes were the first women to score big for Motown with "Please Mr. Postman," which sold over a million copies. Their 1961 hit heralded the success of other sister-girl groups who would soon march up the record charts, connecting with listeners nationwide, regardless of color.

Hard on the high heels of the Marvelettes came the coiffed couture of the Supremes with Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, Florence Ballard and Barbara Martin in the original group. Initially known as The Primettes, they too were barely out of high school when they were signed to Motown. The group became a trio when Martin left in 1961. Later, Ballard was replaced in a storm of controversy by Cindy Birdsong in 1967.

By the time Ross left in 1969, the Supremes were the accepted model of "black girl groups." Throughout the 60s the Supremes reigned with hits that dominated the airways. Their impact was so great that the 1976 movie Sparkle, starring Lonette McKee, Irene Cara and Dawn Smith, was loosely based on their story. Even today's sister groups like En Vogue and Destiny's Child can't escape the legacy of the Supremes.

The nothing but `tude act of former-Supreme Diana Ross began early as chronicled in Women of Motown by Susan Whitall, but even her widely-chronicled bad behavior couldn't tarnish the Supremes' shining star. "Ross showed signs of temperament early on," reports Whitall. "The Holland brothers, Brian and Eddie and Lament Dozier (who penned many hits for the girl groups, including most of the major chart toppers for the Supremes), knew to record Diana on the first or second take, or she'd start acting cranky."

Yet, like all the women who came to Motown, Ross was smart and worked tirelessly on the group's songs and her image. It was that way for all the ladies of Motown. No wonder the environment kept producing talent like Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, whose sound may have eclipsed even that of the Supremes. The hits kept coming. There was the innocent but savvy sound of Mary Wells who was Motown's first bonafide superstar, busting her way onto the charts with "Come To Me," "I Don't Want To Take A Chance" and "My Guy."

There is one sister who few people new about, yet she blazed the path for everyone. Mable John was the first woman Gordy signed to his label in 1959, which was then named Tamla. John never had a hit with Gordy, but to say she was instrumental in those early years would be an understatement. She sang, chauffeured Gordy, made sandwiches for company events, and was the company spokeswoman (Gordy didn't like interviews).

John did it all at Motown, but it wasn't until she left in 1964 and moved to Stax Records in Memphis that Americans were really exposed to her. At Stax she scored a hit record called "Your Good Thing (Is About To End)" in 1966.

The Motown roll call is full of gutsy femme fatales like Tammi Terrell, Brenda Holloway, Kim Weston and The Velvelettes (Mildred Gill Arbor, Norma Barbee Fairhurst, Carolyn Gill Street, Betty Kelley, Bertha Barbee McNeal) and Gladys Knight. The songs of that era have made comeback after comeback via movie soundtracks, commercials and hip hop samples. The women of Motown created an enduring music that, after four decades, continues to keep us dancing in the streets, dubs and basements.

Chart Toppers

For those Motown fans who want mo' of the story, check out the following books:

Between Each Line of Pain and Glory: My Life Story by Gladys Knight Hyperion, 1998, $12.95, ISBN 0-786-88371-5

Dreamgirl and Supreme Faith by Mary Wilson Cooper Square Publishing, January 2000, $19.95, ISBN 0-815-4100-X

Ladies of Soul by David Freeland University of Mississippi Press, April 2001, $20.00, ISBN 1478-06331-0

Women of Motown: An Oral History by Susan Whitall Avon Books, 1998, $12.00, ISBN 0-380-79379-2