Fans pour into Rock Hall in tribute to Jackson

By Harlan Spector

Plain Dealer Reporter

CLEVELAND

Friends Jennifer Pineda and April Dos Santos hoped for a special way to honor pop star Michael Jackson on the one-year anniversary of his death, but they couldn’t find a fitting remembrance in their hometown, New York City.

They thought about Gary, Ind., the childhood home of the Jackson 5, where the anniversary was marked with the unveiling of a monument to Michael. Instead they chose Cleveland. They drove through the night from Queens to join hundreds of Jackson fans Saturday for a weekend tribute at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

Fans celebrated their love of the iconic entertainer as they bounced to his music in the Rock Hall’s main lobby. They took in special screenings and gazed at displays of Jackson’s outfits and jackets and the famed white glove, which rotates in a glass case.

“He was an absolute genius and groundbreaking,” said Dos Santos, 40. “The way he could move his body, his costumes, his originality. He inspired people to want to do new things.”

Jackson died at age 50 from an overdose of sedatives as he was preparing for a comeback tour. Rock Hall spokesman Todd Mesek said Jackson devotees inspired the weekend tribute.

“It was unusual in that people were asking us. They had a need to show appreciation for him,” said Mesek. He estimated 3,500 people came through the doors Saturday, about 1,500 above average for this time of year.

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