Fans from all over gathered to pay tribute to Michael Jackson at Harlem's historic Apollo Theater on Tuesday, where more than 40 years ago, the Jackson Five launched its career, and effectively, a new era in pop music with the introduction to Michael.
Thousands lined up along West 125th Street with many adorned in large black sunglasses and fedora hats, while dressed in multicolored sequined vests or Jackson's trademark sparkling white glove.
Tuesday's memorial, which began at 2 p.m., featured a eulogy by the Rev. Al Sharpton. A moment of silence was called at 5:26 p.m., the time East Coast fans learned that Jackson had died.
Sharpton told the crowd that Jackson "broke down race barriers." He and Director Spike Lee urged the audience to revel in Jackson accomplishments and disregard what they characterized as negative news coverage of the star.
"Michael made young men and women all over the world imitate us," Sharpton said. "Before Michael, we were limited and ghettoized. But Michael put on a colorful military outfit, he pulled his pants up, he put on the one glove, and he smashed the barriers of segregated music."
Sharpton then showed his own colorful dance moves to the crowd, dancing up a storm with Lee, DJ Chub Rock, and another woman while Jackson's music blared.
Shenia Rudolph, a fan from the Bronx, joined many who have been waiting for more than 12 hours outside the theater just to honor the King of Pop.
"He has made history. He is a legend in our own times," Rudolph says. "As from now, he is going to be remembered from here till tomorrow."
Many brought beloved scrapbooks and memorabilia while some were totally decked out just like Michael.
Elizabeth, N.J. resident Jasmine Silvestro is one of many to dress like the King of Pop.
"He has inspired me to be who I am today. He is phenomenal and he will always be in our hearts," Silvestro tells CBS 2.
Inside the Apollo, they were moving people in and out in groups of 600 every 30 minutes. A montage of video clips was being shown on the stage - where a stool with a black fedora, pair of sunglasses, and white glove rested - while his music was played on the speakers. One of the songs people heard, of course, was "Thriller," a mark of how that song alone has embedded itself in popular culture today.
Victoria Campomanes traveled from Vermont to pay tribute to Jackson and performed the moonwalk for all of her fellow fans.
"I just watched him and slowed down the film. I mean it's really just watching," Campomanes says.
Campomanes wore black high-water pants, black jacket, and a black fedora with the shiny, snow white shoes that Jackson wore in the Billie Jean music video as she attempted to teach CBS 2's Magee Hickey the moonwalk with no success.
"He was really inspirational to me. I'm into singing because of him and just the things he went through really helped me in some of the things I went through," Campomanes says.
Apollo ambassador Billy Mitchell was there that magical night in 1967 when the Jackson Five first performed at amateur night.
"To see young kids with that type of stage presence and that type of choreography, people would be able to come express their love for Michael," Mitchell says. "They'll be able to leave their memorabilia on the Apollo stage because after all this is where their career started."
Jackson was last at the Apollo in 2002 when former President Bill Clinton invited him for a Democratic National Committee fundraiser.
Source: WCBS.TV
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