A clip from the documentary, "The Night James Brown Saved Boston",
features James Brown paying respect to Martin Luther King, Jr. at the
beginning of his live concert at the Boston Garden, April 5, 1968. The
clip features discussion on James Brown's motivation to perform the
night after Dr. King's assassination by James Earl Ray and the risk he
was taking going onstage.
In the aftermath of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination on April 4,
1968, rioting broke out in cities across the country. James Brown had
been scheduled to perform at the Boston Garden on April 5th. Boston
Mayor Kevin White had initially wanted to cancel all public events,
including James Brown's show. As there was concern that the
cancellation of the show might cause an escalation of the crisis. it was
agreed that James Brown's show would go on. The show, one of the
greatest in Boston's history, went on and the city of Boston remained
relatively calm. James Brown consoled his mourning audience, dedicated
the show to the memory of Dr. King and was instrumental in keeping the
peace on the streets of Boston.
Fans rushed the stage in the middle of live performance and the police
moved onstage to remove them. James Brown stood between the police and
the stage crashers and immediately took control of what could have been a
riotous moment in light of the raw emotions of the Black community and
the tenuous relationship with the police. James Brown addresses the
audience asking if he can finish the show, with the infamous words, "We
are Black. Don't make us all look bad." He was asking for "respect from
my own people."
Source: James Brown
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