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Michael Jackson, the “King of Pop” and one of the most influential musicians of all time, was not just a legendary entertainer. He was also a dedicated philanthropist and humanitarian who spent much of his life fighting for causes he believed in and helping those in need. Throughout his career, Jackson leveraged his fame and fortune to make the world a better place through charitable giving, activism, and using his platform to raise awareness about social justice issues.
Jackson’s philanthropic efforts focused largely on helping children in need across the globe. This passion for protecting and empowering children stemmed from Jackson’s own difficult childhood, where he faced abuse and exploitation within the entertainment industry. Determined to spare other kids from the struggles he endured, Jackson donated millions of dollars to various children’s charities over the course of his life.
In 1992, Jackson founded the Heal the World Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing medicine, gifts, and social services to children living in poverty. Through the foundation, Jackson airlifted tons of supplies to war-torn and impoverished regions, funded HIV/AIDS research and treatment for infected children, and sent millions of dollars overseas to fund various orphanages, children’s hospitals, and other programs for kids in need. Heal the World also partnered with existing charities like UNESCO and the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund to further their efforts for children’s welfare.
Jackson donated all proceeds from his Dangerous World Tour, nearly $100 million, to the foundation. He also gave his $5 million paycheck from his 1992 Bucharest concert directly to local hospitals and orphanages in Romania. These are just two of Jackson’s largest charitable donations, but he gave generously to children’s causes year after year. Some other notable donations include $1.5 million to the United Negro College Fund, over $50 million to the Make a Wish Foundation, and regular contributions to Elizabeth Taylor’s AIDS Foundation.
Beyond monetary support, Jackson directly volunteered his time by visiting orphanages and children’s hospitals worldwide while on tour. From Australia to Africa to the UK, Jackson spent time holding and playing with sick and orphaned children, giving them gifts and smiles. His kindness left a lasting impact on the lives he touched.
Jackson’s aide recalls how on one tour stop Jackson visited a Romanian orphanage with no heat, electricity, or working bathroom. He was so stricken by the conditions that he immediately put his tour staff and handlers to work upgrading the orphanage, installing a new kitchen, fixing broken appliances, and building a clean bathroom. This hands-on charity work characterized his humanitarian spirit.
In addition to his focus on helping children, Jackson used his platform as one of the world’s most visible celebrities to draw attention to many other social justice issues.
From the outset of his career, Jackson used his music to promote the message of unity between races and cultures. He insisted that his videos featured people of diverse backgrounds, and songs like “Black or White” called for harmony. At the 1988 Grammys, Jackson expressed his vision for equality, saying, “If you really believe that racism exists, the best way to fight it is through love…through music and through awareness.”
Jackson was also a passionate advocate for the homeless and destitute. He donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to organizations supporting homeless youth, like the Watts Summer Festival and the National Urban Coalition. In one famous act of generosity, Jackson once stopped his limousine on Wilshire Boulevard to get out barefoot and hand $500 cash to a derelict woman on the street—he just wanted her to know she wasn’t invisible.
Awareness-raising benefit concerts became a staple of Jackson’s activism. He performed in and helped organize fundraisers like “We Are The World” and “United Support of Artists for Africa” to provide famine relief in Africa. He also headlined the World Children’s Congress in 1992, using the global platform to speak against child labor and call on world leaders to prioritize children’s health.
As an environmentalist, Jackson raised awareness about climate change and pollution. He wrote “Earth Song” in 1989 to lament environmental destruction and call for change, years before climate activism peaked. He considered the song his greatest artistic achievement, due to its political and social influence.
Among the other causes Jackson promoted were HIV/AIDS research, cancer charities, organizations supporting disabled youth, voter registration campaigns, and economic development for minority communities. The common thread was Jackson’s eagerness to shine a light on human suffering, raising both money and awareness.
Jackson’s giving and activism spanned genres, as he collaborated with celebrities from Elizabeth Taylor to Notorious B.I.G. on philanthropic projects to leverage their joint star power. Yet Jackson also kept many of his charitable acts private. Years after his death, stories continue to emerge about Jackson’s random generosity towards strangers he encountered—paying for people’s surgeries, covering their bills, giving lavish tips, and more.
Jackson was so committed to charity that he even turned down BET’s offer of a humanitarian award, stating that his humanitarian acts were not for awards, but should simply be expected when one has been as blessed as he was. Even in death, Jackson’s estate continues donating his remaining assets to charity.
Of course, Jackson’s efforts were not without controversy. His eccentric behavior and legal troubles at times overshadowed his philanthropic work in the media. And some critics over the years accused Jackson of using charity as a cover for his own agenda.
But regardless of his flaws, the depth of Jackson’s generosity and commitment to social justice causes cannot be denied. Tens of millions of dollars, decades of volunteer work, and countless hours of activism all paint the picture of someone dedicated to more than just fame and fortune. The impact of Jackson’s humanitarian legacy continues today through the work of his charities and foundations, and the inspiration he provides to socially-conscious artists.
Michael Jackson redefined pop music and entertainment in so many ways. But the way he used his status to push for change may stand as his most profound legacy of all. Jackson once sang, “Heal the world, make it a better place,” and he spent much of his life trying to do just that as a tireless philanthropist and activist for children, for the disenfranchised, and for myriad causes close to his heart.
