Michael Jackson’s gift, funeral, headstone, and cemetery celebration
November 28, 2009
“Music has been my outlet,” “My gift to all of the lovers in this world. Through it, my music, I know I will live forever.” -Michael Jackson, Ebony Magazine, December 2007
A life of mystery, stardom and controversy. Amazing talent, unusual choices, and fortunes gained and lost. And perhaps most notable, a life of love for his children. Michael Jackson. Rarely does a name elicit such a mixture of opinions and emotions. To fans around the world Michael Jackson was a star, revered for his musical and dancing abilities. Despite his desire for privacy, his was a very public life. Tabloid journalism swirled around his every move. Yet, while parts of his life were often treated as a public circus, his death and memorial somehow brought millions of people together in a remarkable public display of dignity and respect. What happened in the days after Jackson’s death on June 25, 2009 is an interesting study in memorialization. A short private funeral at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California gave Jackson’s family some time for private mourning early in the day of July 7th. The cavalcade then made its way to the Michael Jackson tribute, the first of many public events. Tickets were made available by lottery for the 17,500 seats inside the Staples Centre in Los Angeles; and a crowd of about 5,000 guests, along with thousands of journalists, camera operators and photographers gathered outside. Millions of people around the world watched the televised broadcast. Guests were handed a scrapbook of Jackson photos as they entered the Staples Centre. The 90-minute musical extravaganza included much symbolism. Michael’s brothers – once performers together in the Jackson Five – acted as pallbearers. Each of them wore a single white sequined glove, a look that their sibling had introduced earlier in his career. The opulent bronze casket with 14-karat gold plate handles, and velvet-lined interior was covered in flowers and carried into the venue to the choir singing “Hallelujah, hallelujah, we’re going to see the King.” The stage was arranged to resemble a church sanctuary complete with a stained-glass backdrop. At the back of the stage images of Michael were displayed on giant screens. The Jackson family, including Michael’s three children, played a visible role. His brother Jermaine performed Michael’s favourite song, Smile. Later in the program his entire family joined the other performers on stage for the singing of two of Michael’s most well-known songs – We Are the World and Heal the World. The list of family guests and performers was to be expected at a memorial tribute to someone whose life was spent on stage and in the public eye. Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Smokie Robinson, Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Kobe Bryant, civil rights leader, the Reverend Al Sharton, Queen Latifah, Brooke Shields, John Mayer, Motown head, Berry Gordy, Spike Lee, Wesley Snipes, Magic Johnson and Britain’s Got Talent winner, 12-year old Shaheen Jafargholi came to say or sing their
goodbyes to Michael.
On September 3rd, family and close friends of Jackson gathered at Forest Lawn Cemetery for an interment ceremony. His brothers again served as pallbearers and his three children laid a crown on the casket, symbolic of the King of Pop. Motown legend Gladys Knight and songwriter Clifton Davis provided music for the ceremony. Several eulogies were offered, including one by Michael’s father, Joe. At the conclusion of the proceedings, Jackson was laid to rest in the cemetery’s Great Mausoleum. That, however, was not the end of the memorialization of one of the most influential entertainers of all time. Fans in Detroit, where the Jackson Five first gained popularity, have erected a granite tombstone for Michael Jackson in Woodlawn Cemetery. The engraving on the tombstone reads:
Motown Remembers
the King of Pop Michael J. Jackson
Aug. 29, 1958 to June 25, 2009
Songwriter, Singer, Producer, Dancer, Choreographer,
Humanitarian, Jackson 5 Member, Soloist
13 #1 Singles, 13 Grammy’s, 197 Awards
& 37 Top 40 hits
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and Motown Legend
Gone Too Soon
Across the Atlantic, a September tribute had been planned for Jackson in Vienna’s Schonbrunn Castle. Due to the desire of the Jackson family to have many music stars performing at this event
more advance planning was needed. The tribute will now be held in London, England sometime in 2010.
And in the US, 158 entries from Jackson fans were received in response to a global competition
to design a fitting memorial for him. The ideas submitted are as large as Michael’s life. Three of the entries propose the building of a new island near Dubai – in the shape of either a dancing Michael Jackson or his profile. He left us with a tremendous gift of music and dance. In return, the world continues to offer an ongoing memorial of respect and admiration for the King of Pop.
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