Introducing Michael at the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame

The Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York—where, after Michael’s death, it became a place for mourning and fans to gather—announced on Tuesday that it plans to introduce Michael Jackson in its Hall of Fame during next year’s celebration.

Michael will also receive a plaque in the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame. The plaque’s construction will begin in the fall, and a memorial plaque will be installed in the theatre next to the plaques of James Brown and Ella Fitzgerald. In addition, Apollo says that the 5-by-30-foot board that was installed outside Apollo after Michael’s death and where fans wrote messages is part of the theatre’s property and will be added to its archives. This wall board was donated to the theatre by one of Apollo’s neighboring buildings.

On June 30—five days after Michael’s death—Apollo hosted a memorial celebration for the King of Pop, attended by thousands of Michael’s fans from around the world. The event began at 2:00 p.m. and at 5:26 p.m.—the time of Michael’s death in Eastern Time (2:26 p.m. in Los Angeles)—people spent a few minutes in silence in his honor.

At the gathering, Al Sarponton told the crowd: “Michael made it so that men and women around the world followed us. Before Michael, we were limited and on the sidelines. But Michael put on a colorful military jacket, wore his pants, put on a glove, and broke down the walls that separated the different music genres.”

Inside the hall, a black hat, a white glove, and dark sunglasses were placed on a pedestal on stage in memory of Michael. After the ceremony, people placed bouquets and other gifts next to the pedestal.

More than 40 years ago, at Apollo, the Jackson 5 group led by Michael was officially announced and, with the impact it left behind, it set a new course in music.

Source: eMJey / NY Times