If you were told that Gary was almost like Graceland, would you believe it? For a brief moment in the mid-1990s, Gary stood on the edge of a radically different future. City leaders and members of the Jackson family began discussing plans for a theme park in Gary, an idea that soon expanded into something […]
Jackson family
Posted inArts, Community, Events, History
Gary Residents Are Invited to Share Michael Jackson Memories Ahead of Premiere
When chatter started about a potential Michael Jackson biographical picture being produced, the gears in the Gary International Black Film Festival’s team’s mind started to turn. “How could we celebrate our native son?” was the question they all asked as rumors turned into teasers and trailers for the film that began to drop into the […]
Posted inArts, Community, Culture
Gary’s Jackson 5 Mural: It’s Bigger. It’s Better. And It’s Back.
In 2013, when the first Jackson 5 mural was unveiled in downtown Gary, it became one of the most beloved pieces of public art in the city. But over time, it gradually deteriorated and the building was torn down in 2018. Now, over a decade later, the mural has been reborn on Lake Street. Commissioned […]
Posted inCrime
Jury Convicts Man of Kidnapping Father and Daughter Outside Michael Jackson’s Childhood Home
A Gary man has been convicted on multiple felony charges in connection with a violent attack that took place last summer near one of the city’s most visited landmarks. On Thursday, a Lake County jury found 69-year-old Oasia Barnes guilty on 17 felony counts, which include rape and sexual battery, according to court documents. Prosecutors […]
Posted inCulture
Tito Jackson Is Honored in Gary with Heartfelt Tributes
A single red rose, locked to the fence of the small house on Jackson Street in Gary, carried a simple yet heartfelt message: “RIP Tito, Love You Forever.” As the news of Tito Jackson’s passing spread Monday, visitors from across the country began to gather at the house where the Jackson 5 was born, paying […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Public Safety
Kidnapping at Michael Jackson’s Childhood Home Alarms Neighbors, Provokes Spirited Response From Gary Officials
A Gary man is in custody after being charged with multiple felonies related to the alleged kidnapping of a 16-year-old girl and her father as they visited the childhood home of Michael Jackson. “It’s a crazy feeling because nothing like that has happened in this area,” said Lathaniel Staten, who has lived on the block […]
Posted inCulture
They Grew Up With Pop Royalty. Now They Have to Dodge Their Fans.
Antwyne Morland lives a few hundred yards from the Jackson family home. Fifteen years ago, Morland bought the house next to the King of Pop’s boyhood home for the price of a used car. Today, Morland revels living near Gary’s most famous home, but he no longer parks in front of his own house. Years […]