By now, most of the world knows that the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, died yesterday afternoon in Los Angeles. By yesterday evening in New York City, spontaneous memorial music jams and sing-alongs were everywhere.
At 10 PM, I suggested to a few companions that we make a trip to Union Square, always a mecca for events of this nature and magnitude. As expected, hundreds of fans had gathered – a boombox supplied music while a group sang Michael Jackson songs together. At one point, a white glove with sequins was passed through the group to one of the prominent singers.
Fans waved illuminated cellphones and candles. Here and there, some initiated small vigils. A similar but smaller scene could be found in Washington Square Park. On Laguardia Place and Bleecker Street, there was crowd of singers that could be heard two blocks away. I was informed last night that a huge crowd gathered at the Apollo Theater in Harlem (confirmed by the press today), where Michael had performed many times as a member of the Jackson Five. I am sure that in the coming days and weeks, there will be numerous tributes and memorials, both planned and unplanned, in the theaters, streets, and parks of New York City.
With over 750 million records sold, Michael Jackson was the best selling solo pop artist of all time. Of course, anyone who looms larger than life, as Jackson did, will have his life under a microscope. Jackson was both lionized and demonized by the media, with his later life plagued and darkened by scandal. However, I think that his work will outshine any darkness, leaving a legacy brighter than than shadow of his final years…















