Soul was the first actual integrated genre where  Black artists were appreciated, respected, and adorned alongside white artists. When Blacks participated in the Ragtime genre and sang Ragtime music, they were typically portrayed as subservient or absurd racially stereotypical characters. Black ragtime artists, when performing along white artists, would have to put on black face, and oftentimes, their white counterparts would also put on black face. During the Blues era, Black artists were frequently disenfranchised by white people. Not only did Black artists typically not perform with white “Blues” artists, but white producers and music managers like the Lomax’s took advantage and commodified struggling “Blues” artists. Jazz started as a predominantly Black genre but, like blues, was also infiltrated by white artists and “remade” with less flavor. Soul was the first genre that intended White and Black people to work together and have equal opportunity for fame and success. This happened at Stax Records.