His soul purpose
Recalling the night James Brown stopped an angry crowd from rioting
They were young and, under the spotlights at Boston Garden, looked startled and unsure of themselves. But, to the armed cops charging from the wings, the dozen or more stage invaders represented a danger. Violence seemed imminent.
But then James Brown waved away the riot squad. “Wait a minute, wait a minute now, WAIT!” Brown said. “Step down, now, be a gentleman ... Now, I asked the police to step back, because I think I can get some respect from my own people.”
The atmosphere changed. The interlopers rejoined the audience; the police retreated.
It was April 5, 1968, the day after civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. had been shot dead. Across the U.S., horror and grief had led to protests and violence. Today, as America is engulfed by protests following the police killing of 46-year-old George Floyd, footage of the 1968 unrest feels familiar. Then as now, local politicians were terrified that the violence would spread. And none more so than Boston mayor Kevin White. Not only did the city have a large, disenchanted African-american community, but James Brown would play in the middle of town.
“His concert might bring 20,000 black people into the city,” White said. “It had too much emotion in it.”
White’s instinct was to call off the show. But, instead, someone suggested the concert be aired live on local television — people who might otherwise have taken to the streets would instead stay at home and watch Brown. White was persuaded, and a broadcaster agreed to carry the show. Now all they had to do was convince Brown.
“If you put the show on TV for free, who’s going to come?” he said. “I’ll do it if the (city) can promise me some money.” The parties agreed to a reported payment of $10,000.
Brown was correct: fans did stay away. Only 1,500 filed into the 14,000-capacity venue. Nevertheless,
he performed with enthusiasm. As the end loomed, a man from the audience tried to join Brown. A policeman shoved him off. Teenagers invaded the stage. More police arrived.
The band stopped.
“I’m all right, I’m all right,” said Brown. “I want to shake their hands.” With the cops exiting, he addressed the stage invaders. “We are black! Don’t make us all look bad! Let me finish the show,” he said. “You’re not being fair to yourself or me or your race. Now, I asked the police to step back because I thought I could get some respect from my own people. Are we together or are we ain’t?”
They left and the performance resumed. A few days later, the mayor of Washington asked Brown to speak out against rioting, which he was happy to do. The following month, he attended a White House state dinner. These gestures were not universally welcomed by the African-american community. While some applauded his leadership, others accused him of pandering to the establishment. Brown knew where he stood — he poured his feelings into a new single. Its title? Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud.