Michael Jackson, 1958-2009: Primary Resources, Historical Perspectives, Scholarly Insights

Michael Jackson, known as “King of Pop”, died unexpectedly Thursday, June 25th in Los Angeles at age 50. His career began when he was 11 as part of the group the “Jackson Five”, the youngest of five brothers. He is known for his extraordinary talent in music and dance, and as a gifted entertainer. He was an innovator, most notably in the music video medium and early MTV. Jackson’s career was marred by controversy caused by allegations of personal sexual misconduct. In addition to being a musician, dancer, and entertainer, Michael Jackson was known for his philanthropy, particularly his work to help South Africa, and his composing and organizing the production of the song "We Are the World", with proceeds going to African aid. Michael Jackson will always be known as a trailblazer in the field of pop music, and his recordings continue to break sales records.

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Following are selected resources for more information about Michael Jackson. In addition to sources readily available through news media, also included are books in the library, encyclopedia articles, and scholarly articles, resources that most people may not have thought about in regards to a popular music figure. These resources give scholarly, insightful, and analytical perspectives of Michael Jackson such as the meanings of his dance movements, the sociological aspects of his music videos, the religious significance in "Earth Song", and more. Articles in languages other than English are a testimony to Jackson's worldwide fame and appeal. Here you will also find primary resources such as books by Michael Jackson, and interviews that he gave when he was in his teens. These in-depth perspectives you would not find anywhere else, but @ your library! Enjoy.