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Early 1980s trail • D.C. / Prince George’s County
Black Nation Band
Evidence status: Black Nation is documented through surviving 1983–84 live-recording labels and later TMOTTGoGo oral-history participation. Formation date and complete original lineup remain open.
1983 live trailBailey’s CrossroadsTMOTT oral historyOxon Hill
Artist overview
Black Nation is another example of a band that can disappear when Go-Go history is told only through the biggest names. The I AM GO-GO working catalog preserves Black Nation at Cheriy’s, Chuck E. Cheese and Moonlite Inn in 1983 and Friendly High School Annex in 1984. Old School Go-Go independently preserves a 1984 Chuck E. Cheese recording from Bailey’s Crossroads, Virginia. Decades later, TMOTTGoGo’s 2019 Oxon Hill Library oral-history tour featured members of Black Nation Band sharing accounts of the Go-Go circuit.
1983–84 live trailCheriy’s, Moonlite Inn, Chuck E. Cheese and Friendly H.S. Annex survive in the working evidence.
Independent recording evidenceOld School Go-Go preserves Black Nation at Chuck E. Cheese in Bailey’s Crossroads, Virginia in 1984.
2019 oral historyTMOTTGoGo brought Black Nation members into its Oxon Hill Library history program.
Live & PA archive
Cheriy’s — 1983Working-catalog lead.
Chuck E. Cheese — 1983/84 trailWorking catalog carries 1983; Old School Go-Go independently preserves a 1984 Bailey’s Crossroads recording. These remain separate source records unless the underlying artifacts prove otherwise.
Moonlite Inn — 1983Working-catalog lead.
Friendly H.S. Annex — 1984Working-catalog lead.
Timeline
Early surviving live trail
Cheriy’s, Chuck E. Cheese and Moonlite Inn labels place Black Nation in the active early-1980s circuit.
Cheriy’s, Chuck E. Cheese and Moonlite Inn labels place Black Nation in the active early-1980s circuit.
Virginia / school trail
Old School Go-Go preserves Bailey’s Crossroads; working evidence also carries Friendly H.S. Annex.
Old School Go-Go preserves Bailey’s Crossroads; working evidence also carries Friendly H.S. Annex.
TMOTTGoGo oral-history program
Black Nation members participate in the Oxon Hill Library regional Go-Go history tour.
Black Nation members participate in the Oxon Hill Library regional Go-Go history tour.
People
Gary “Happy Hands”TMOTTGoGo names him among Black Nation participants in the 2019 Oxon Hill oral-history program.
Chris EvansNamed by TMOTTGoGo among Black Nation oral-history participants.
Slim JimNamed by TMOTTGoGo among Black Nation oral-history participants.
Steve JacksonNamed by TMOTTGoGo among Black Nation oral-history participants.
Source trail
TMOTTGoGo — Oxon Hill Library tour recapNames Black Nation Band members participating in oral-history collection about the Go-Go circuit.Oral-history program
Old School Go-Go — Black NationIndependent public catalog preserves a 1984 Chuck E. Cheese / Bailey’s Crossroads recording.Independent public catalog
InnaCity Go-Go catalogBlack Nation remains represented in the public Go-Go catalog system.Public catalog presence
I AM GO-GO working PA/live catalogPreserves 1983–84 Black Nation venue leads.Internal archive lead
Keep exploring
Follow the early scene beyond the best-known bands.