A small crowd gathered Thursday just outside the wrought iron fence surrounding the Jackson family home at 2300 Jackson Street in Gary as local dignitaries joined Marlon and Tito Jackson and State Sen. Eddie Melton to unveil wayfinding signs to the property.
“It’s absolutely a proud moment for the city of Gary,” Mayor Jerome Prince said. Events like today, with the new sign leading people to the boyhood home of Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five and the Friday grand opening of the new Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana are examples of what re-imagining Gary means.
He called on those present to pause for 23 seconds — in reference to the 2300 Jackson St., address — to commemorate the Jackson family and those in the family who are gone like Michael and patriarch Joe Jackson. After the pause he led the crowd to shout “re-imagine Gary.”
Tito Jackson was overcome with emotion as he spoke about growing up in the home with his nine siblings. He shared the loss of a twin brother, the 10th sibling. He remembered telling his siblings “what if it is not use. Maybe the house has magic.”
He said Gary is known all over the world because of the Jackson Five.
“Without you guys, the Jackson family would not be where it is today,” he said.
State Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Gary, said Thursday’s event was the culmination of more than a year’s work to bring the signs to the city. Travelers will be able to see the sign from Interstate 80/94 and follow signs to the home.
“Today we are talking about honoring this family,” Melton said.
He called the timing of the signage a major move toward economic development in the city that will be spurred by the tourism the casino will create.
“The timing of the signage will help us,” Melton said.
Councilwoman Linda Barnes-Caldwell said the Jackson home has always been an unofficial landmark in the 5th District and she is hopeful the tourism it draws along with the grand opening of the Hard Rock Casino will help fuel development in her district.
“I need developers to come to this area. We need people who can take a look and reimagine Gary,” Barnes-Caldwell said.
Gwen Macon, Theodore McClendon and Kwabena Rasuli were among those on hand to celebrate the signage. The trio are part of Jackson Family Honor, a grassroots nonprofit who mission is to put the Jackson family name out there in a historical way benefiting the city.
“We want to not only honor Michael Jackson and the Jacksons, we want the city to benefit,” Rasuli said.
Macon said the group envisions the type of impact on the community Elvis Presley’s Graceland had on Memphis, Tennessee.
“We don’t see why it couldn’t happen here,” Macon said.
Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch said the Jackson family home represents a lot of things to a lot of people. One of those things is tourism. She said Thursday’s event is not just about re-imagining Gary but imagining a future that includes development spawned by the tourism drawn by the casino and the recognition of the Jackson home.
She recalled her own experience seeing the Jackson Five in 1972 at the Indiana State Fair.
“This is about the future, the possibilities of the future and what you can become, not just in Gary or in the state of Indiana, but everywhere. You can be whatever you want to be,” Crouch said.
“What this home represents is the American Dream,” she said.
Denise and Roger Saffold of Gary came to watch the festivities. The couple moved to Gary a few years ago in a home about a block away from the Jackson home.
“It makes me feel so very proud,” Denise Saffold said, adding she and her siblings grew up listening to the Jackson Five.
“Everything the Jacksons did we followed. It makes me feel really proud,” she said.
Roger Saffold said he felt the same. He said it is hard to imagine such a large family living in such a modest home. He is hopeful development that occurs can help bring the city back to its glory days when people had good jobs and could take care of their families.
“I feel proud, happy and glad to be part of this historic event,” he said.
Carrie Napoleon is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
