Al Sharpton

No one doubts that Michael Jackson is one of the greatest pop artists of all time. Civil rights leaders and numerous politicians have weighed into the historical significance of Jackson. Reverend Al Sharpton, for example, used the occasion to celebrate Jackson’s accomplishments and his contributions to pop culture. And in what was perhaps the most appropriate assessment, Barack Obama applauded the artistic heights Jackson reached while also acknowledging the contributions African-American entertainers and athletes made to the establishment of a comfort level between the races in America. It was as if he was saying that people like Jackie Robinson and Michael Jackson paved the way for himself, the first African-American president. Others, however, preferred to piggyback on the extensive media coverage to promote themselves in the process. Peter King, a Republican congressman from New York, opted to trash Jackson over his legal battles on child molestation accusations. But no matter the perspective, it is safe to predict that Michael Jackson will continue to solicit at least as many comments and interpretations in death than in life.

Paris’s speech caps a heartbreaking tribute: “Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine.”

No one held our gaze like him