Joint Legislative Resolution In Honor of Michael Joseph Jackson

WHEREAS, Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 -June 25, 2009) was a legendary American recording artist, entertainer and humanitarian. As the "King of Pop," Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records. His amazing contributions to music, dance and fashion, along with a much publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades; and

WHEREAS, in the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music and the music videos for his songs including "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and "Thriller", were credited with transforming that medium into a powerfully popular art form and promotional tool, which catapulted a then new television channel, MTV, into fame and success. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made him a staple on MTV in the 1990s. Through stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style have influenced numerous hip hop, pop, contemporary R&B and rock artists; and

WHEREAS, Jackson is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice and some of his other achievements include setting multiple Guinness World Records; 13 Grammy Awards (as well as the Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award); 13 NAACP Image Awards (including the H. Claude Hudson Medal Of Freedom Award, the Olympic Medal Of Friendship Award and the Leonard Carter Humanitarian Award); 26 American Music Awards (more than any other artist, including the "Artist of the Century"); 13 number-one singles in the United States in his solo career (more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era); and the estimated sale of over 800 million records worldwide. Jackson won hundreds of awards, which have made him the most-awarded recording artist in the history of music; and

WHEREAS, Michael Joseph Jackson's greatest legacy will be his work as a tireless humanitarian, philanthropist and advocate for social justice, donating and raising hundreds of millions of dollars for beneficial causes and supporting more than 39 charities. Jackson's heart and spirit for healing the world were not only evident in his music, but his selfless deeds; and

WHEREAS, Michael Jackson's humanitarian acts of kindness and compassion are simply too numerous to mention herein, but extremely worthy of honor and memorializing by the United States of America.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP begin efforts to pass a joint resolution in the United States Congress, which would honor Michael Joseph Jackson as a legendary American recording artist, entertainer and humanitarian - one of the greatest of all time, and call upon the United States National Parks Service to explore the feasibility of establishing a historic site in honor of Michael Joseph Jackson.