Michael Jackson: Race Relations Pioneer
Monday June 29, 2009
Michael Jackson’s sudden death at age 50 is no doubt tragic. As the world mourns the loss of the King of Pop, however, discussions are springing up about the singer’s contribution to race relations. To boot, conversations continue to take place about Mr. Jackson’s own feelings about his blackness. Did Jackson suffer from self-hatred, or is making such a blanket statement about the late superstar too simplistic?
In a piece called “Black Reverence for Jackson is Now Unreserved,” the New York Times explores how African Americans and other racial groups view the star in life and death as well as the possible impetus for Jackson’s series of highly visible cosmetic procedures. Meanwhile, CNN.com examines how Jackson was a race relations pioneer. After all, Jackson is widely credited with singlehandedly integrating MTV. In the early 1980s, videos featuring black recording artists were an anomaly on the music network.
Civil rights leaders the Rev. Al Sharpton and the Rev. Jesse Jackson are also praising the singer’s role in race relations. Both ministers have asserted that Michael Jackson was such a social force that he paved the way for black luminaries such as Oprah Winfrey and President Barack Obama to win the hearts of mainstream America. That’s because, before Michael Jackson’s rise to superstardom, no African American had infiltrated as many households around the globe. Clearly, in addition to his talent, Jackson’s groundbreaking videos such as “Thriller” and “Billie Jean” are responsible for this.
Many believe that Jackson has no rival in the entertainment industry, but in the aftermath of his death, the media has consistently compared him to Elvis Presley . While there’s no doubt that Presley was a huge star, he didn’t reach audiences of the variety that Jackson did. Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials are fans of Jackson. What’s more is that Jackson—an African American from Gary, Ind., born just four years after the Supreme Court declared segregation unconstitutional—managed to win devotees as far as the Philippines, Japan, the United Kingdom and France.
Jackson didn’t simply cross racial barriers, he crossed national and linguistic barriers as well. He certainly earned the rank of world icon. What stands out about the King of Pop is that he achieved this feat simply by introducing the world to music and dancing that filled them with joy. Not only is that sentiment infectious but it knows no color.
Rest in peace, Michael Jackson.
In a piece called “Black Reverence for Jackson is Now Unreserved,” the New York Times explores how African Americans and other racial groups view the star in life and death as well as the possible impetus for Jackson’s series of highly visible cosmetic procedures. Meanwhile, CNN.com examines how Jackson was a race relations pioneer. After all, Jackson is widely credited with singlehandedly integrating MTV. In the early 1980s, videos featuring black recording artists were an anomaly on the music network.
Civil rights leaders the Rev. Al Sharpton and the Rev. Jesse Jackson are also praising the singer’s role in race relations. Both ministers have asserted that Michael Jackson was such a social force that he paved the way for black luminaries such as Oprah Winfrey and President Barack Obama to win the hearts of mainstream America. That’s because, before Michael Jackson’s rise to superstardom, no African American had infiltrated as many households around the globe. Clearly, in addition to his talent, Jackson’s groundbreaking videos such as “Thriller” and “Billie Jean” are responsible for this.
Many believe that Jackson has no rival in the entertainment industry, but in the aftermath of his death, the media has consistently compared him to Elvis Presley . While there’s no doubt that Presley was a huge star, he didn’t reach audiences of the variety that Jackson did. Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials are fans of Jackson. What’s more is that Jackson—an African American from Gary, Ind., born just four years after the Supreme Court declared segregation unconstitutional—managed to win devotees as far as the Philippines, Japan, the United Kingdom and France.
Jackson didn’t simply cross racial barriers, he crossed national and linguistic barriers as well. He certainly earned the rank of world icon. What stands out about the King of Pop is that he achieved this feat simply by introducing the world to music and dancing that filled them with joy. Not only is that sentiment infectious but it knows no color.
Rest in peace, Michael Jackson.
Black or White, guilty or innocent, it does not really matter. I believe we can all agree that Michael Jackson was an extremely talented individual who brought joy to countless people all over the world through his music. For that we should all say “Thank you Michael Jackson” That’s the least we could do!