29 reasons to celebrate Black History Month: No. 6, Gladys Knight

February marks Black History Month. Follow the AJC this month for a series of short stories and videos and people, places and events that played a significant role in the development of black people in America.

No. 6

Gladys Knight: Atlanta-born Gladys Knight is a legendary singer whose gospel-tinged voice made her a star as the leader of Gladys Knight & the Pips. With songs like “Midnight Train to Georgia” and “If I Were Your Woman,” the R&B group dominated the charts for more than four decades. As part of the group and throughout her long solo career, Knight won seven Grammys. Gladys Knight & the Pips were inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1989 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. In 2015, the Georgia General Assembly renamed a part of an Atlanta road in Knight’s honor.