Michael Jackson fans gathered at various places
around the country, and even around the world, to remember the iconic music
star in the wake of his sudden death on June 25, 2009.
Detroit’s Motown Historical Museum served as an impromptu
gathering place for many fans in the first days following Michael’s death, and
I remember seeing television footage of those fans singing his songs, sharing
their favorite memories of him and watching a few Jackson impersonators trying
to replicate some of the star’s dizzying spins and dance moves.
Fans left hundreds of stuffed animals, with many of
them wearing Jackson’s single signature white glove, and other memorabilia
outside of the museum to create a temporary memorial to Jackson.
What happened to all of those toys and other
souvenirs?
You see it.
They gave the toys their own grave and headstone!
Detroit holds a special place in its heart for the
kid from Gary, Indiana who wowed Motown exec Berry Gordy and snagged a Motown
recording contract with his brothers.
Woodlawn Cemetery, 19975 Woodward Avenue southwest
of Woodward’s intersection with 8 Mile Road (yup, the same 8 Mile immortalized
in Eminem’s movie, 8 Mile) is the final resting place of many prominent people
like civil rights activist Rosa Parks, David Ruffin of the Four Tops, the
Temptations’ Levi Stubbs, poet Edgar Guest and, in two cemetery donated plots,
toys left at Motown in memory of Michael Jackson.
Private companies donated the vaults and headstone.
I initially wondered why the museum didn’t donate
the toys to needy children, but Tim said he heard that exposure to the weather
for several days rendered the toys unfit as donations.
News stories say that Woodlawn officials suggested
the burial to museum officials as a way to give area fans some closure,
celebrate Jackson’s close connection to Detroit and safely dispose of the items
in a respectful manner.
Tim was driving in the area and spotted a procession
with two hearses carrying the memorial items and a few cars entering the
cemetery. He realized what he’d seen after listening to the news later that day
(so you now know who to credit/blame for this blog entry).
We went back later to find the memorial site, which
is a short distance in from the cemetery’s front gate.
The Motown Historical Museum, which already proudly
displays one of Michael’s sequined gloves, kept a few of the memorial items to
use in a planned exhibit honoring Michael Jackson.
Thanks to Debbie Dubrow of Delicious Baby for
creating and coordinating Photo Friday to link travel photos and blog posts
across the Web.
© Dominique King 2009 All rights reserved
What an interesting story. Thanks for sharing. I, too, was interested in why they didn't donate the toys but it makes sense that after sitting out for several days they wouldn't be in good shape.
Posted by: Jen@TwoKidsandaMap | July 31, 2009 at 08:22 AM
Very interesting to know.
Posted by: Amy @ The Q Family | July 31, 2009 at 08:40 AM
Very interesting. What a nice place for people to stop by and remember.
Posted by: Sharlene | July 31, 2009 at 10:20 AM
Motown and Michael it's good to see they did something for him. And it looks like it is set in a tranquil area as well.
Posted by: Cate | July 31, 2009 at 10:31 AM
really cool! i had no idea that they were doing this.
Posted by: jessie voigts | July 31, 2009 at 11:00 AM
Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Linda | July 31, 2009 at 12:41 PM
good question, what does happen to all those flowers, toys, donations??? I actually wondered the same about Princess Di's flowers and photos.
i'm still in shock that he's dead though
Posted by: marina villatoro | July 31, 2009 at 05:45 PM
Jen-It seemed like such a bizarre solution when I first heard they buried the items, but I guess it makes sense in some strange way!
Sharlene and Cate-the cemetery really is a nice spot, and we're want to go back to find some of the well-known folks buried there. Rosa Parks is in a nice mausoleum not too far from this headstone, and there are quite a few other interesting people at Woodlawn.
Jessie-We didn't know about the plans until Tim saw it on the television news and told me...knowing it was just the sort of blog fodder I'd be all over!
Marina-I always wondered what happened to toys and other gifts left at such memorials. I suspect much of it ends up trashed as those things usually spend quite a bit of time out in the weather before someone thinks about disposing of them. This was certainly a novel idea, but given the depth of feeling I saw people expressing out at the Motown Museum in the wake of MJ's death...it seems like it gives respect to their expressions of grief.
Yeah, Micheal's death was pretty shocking in one sense...but he looked so frail the last few times I saw photos of him that it isn't all that surprising in some ways.
Posted by: Dominique | August 01, 2009 at 09:37 PM
The concept of burying the memorial items is interesting, but the funeral procession and headstone seem a little macabre. I guess a statue would take too long.
A fascinating read nonetheless - thanks for posting!
Posted by: Have Baby Will Travel | August 02, 2009 at 08:16 AM
Have Baby-
The whole story was strange enough to me that I couldn't resist telling it!
The original makeshift memorial at the Motown museum seemed heartfelt enough...but the cynic in us wonders about the motivation behind staging the burial. I'd be interested to find out how much other plots near the memorial cost before its installation...and how much those plots cost now. We heard that the price for places in the area near Rosa Parks' final resting place at Woodlawn skyrocketed after Mrs. Parks' placement there.
Posted by: Dominique | August 06, 2009 at 05:12 AM
WOW--I am a major MJ fan. My initial reaction was oh--that's a bit odd. However the more I think on it. The more it makes sense and it is a nice memorial gesture for a wonderful man. It is also a lot better then throwing the gifts out as they were left in love.
Posted by: TaRaysha | September 27, 2009 at 02:20 AM
TaRaysha-It did strike me as strange as well, but I guess it really does make some sort of sense in the end. The feeling for MJ was quite strong here in the Detroit area, and he had a lot of devoted fans here. I don't know if many of them visit the memorial site, but it is in a nice serene area--a respectful enough way to honor MJ's memory.
Posted by: Dominique | September 27, 2009 at 05:16 AM
Love the idea. At least there's marked headstone somewhere.
Posted by: hesouttamylife | March 16, 2011 at 12:36 PM
Judging from the amount of readers I continue to get for this story, I'm guessing it may be one of the only formal headstones around.
Posted by: Dominique King | March 16, 2011 at 02:59 PM
Wow, that's interesting. I had no idea about these stuffed toys being buried. Thanks for sharing the story.
Posted by: Lisa Trudell | October 24, 2013 at 07:49 PM
Lisa-I love the strange and unexpected stories like this one. It does seem like a nice way to honor the man, though.
Posted by: Dominique King | October 25, 2013 at 05:34 AM