Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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July 11, 2009

Michael Jackson's Hometown Pays Tribute
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Event in Steel Yard stadium in Gary, Indiana, included performances of
Jackson's hits and speech by Reverend Jesse Jackson 
Fans in crowd hold up Michael Jackson photos during memorial at Steel
Yard Stadium in Gary, Ind., 10 Jul 2009More than 6,000 fans from around
the world gathered in pop icon Michael
Jackson's hometown for an upbeat memorial service Friday. The
tribute in the Steel Yard stadium in Gary, Indiana, included
performances of Jackson's hits and a speech by the Reverend Jesse
Jackson. Children and teenagers from the crowd also performed some of
the "King of Pop's" famous dance moves, and videos of Jackson's
performances played on the big screen. Jackson spent his first
eleven years in Gary, but left when the Jackson 5, a singing group of
him and four of his brothers, hit big. Since then, he has rarely
returned to the city. On Tuesday, an even larger crowd of fans
gathered for a memorial service in Los Angeles. Among poignant
tributes paid by well-known performers and family members, his
daughter's words stood out. Fighting tears, she said her father was
the "best father you could imagine."The
cause of Jackson's sudden death after cardiac arrest is still under
investigation. Toxicology results are not expected for weeks. Some
information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.


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