We Had Him

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"We Had Him" is a poem written by Maya Angelou about Michael Jackson. [1] [2] The poem was written for Jackson's memorial service on July 7, 2009, and read there by Queen Latifah [3] in front of the approximately 2.5 to 3 billion worldwide viewers watching the memorial service. [4] [5]

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"Sympathy" is an 1899 poem written by Paul Laurence Dunbar. Dunbar, one of the most prominent African-American writers of his time, wrote the poem while working in unpleasant conditions at the Library of Congress. The poem is often considered to be about the struggle of African-Americans. Maya Angelou titled her autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings from a line in the poem and referenced its themes throughout her autobiographies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protests by Westboro Baptist Church</span> Protests carried out by the Westboro Baptist Church

Westboro Baptist Church carries out daily picketing in Topeka, Kansas, and travels nationally to picket the funerals of gay victims of murder or gay-bashing, as well as those of people who have died from complications related to AIDS. It also pickets other events related or peripherally related to homosexuality. It is the protesting of military funerals that led to the organization receiving much attention for its small size. Protests done by Westboro Baptist Church are characterized by defacement of the American flag, hate speech said by members to onlookers, and members holding signs with predominantly homophobic and anti-American statements.

References

  1. "Maya Angelou's Poem About Michael Jackson: 'We Had Him'". MTV.com. Archived from the original on July 3, 2014. Retrieved 2016-12-27.
  2. Kephart, Beth. "Maya Angelou's lingering hum". chicagotribune.com.
  3. "Maya Angelou's Elegy For Michael Jackson". HuffPost. August 12, 2009.
  4. "The 3 Most Watched Televised Funerals in History". beyondthedash.com.
  5. Allen, Nick (July 7, 2009). "Michael Jackson memorial watched by more than funeral of Princess of Wales" via www.telegraph.co.uk.