SIT-IN CONTINUES TO INSPIRE BLACK STUDENT ACTIVISM ON CAMPUS
By Ria Gupta rgupta@statenews.com
Darius Peyton was, in his own words, the type of student who’d use any excuse to miss class, nearly flunking out his freshman year at Michigan State. He hadn’t imagined being named the student spokesperson for Black students on campus, nor leading them through a historic sit-in that lasted over a week.
Peyton’s initial involvement in the Black community on campus can be credited to his older sister, who dragged him and his freshman year roommate to various meetings held by the Black Student Caucus in Wonders Hall. Peyton had been reluctant, citing his upbringing in Detroit as evidence that he was “around Black people all the time.”
“I was one of those people that was really looking to escape,” Peyton said. “Coming to Michigan State was intimidating; I felt like they made a mistake when they accepted me. I suffered from imposter syndrome and didn’t want them to discover me. I wanted to stay out of the spotlight.”
That feeling wouldn’t last long. Peyton would later make the decision to become
a Resident Hall Assistant, where he had his first experiences with leadership and developing a sense of “consciousness.”
It began with curating a bulletin board for Black History Month for the Black Student Caucus. While Peyton admired many of the Black heroes known nationwide, like Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X, he didn’t want the board to be “typical” or “cliche.” He narrowed his focus to those at Michigan State, starting off with those who had become “firsts” like Clifton Wharton, the first Black president of a Big Ten university. Peyton would spend hours in the MSU library looking through old State News clippings.
“I discovered things like the first Black graduate, the first Black fraternity, sorority, and the first distinguished professors and all of those different types of things,”
Peyton said.
He would eventually become the president of the Black Student Caucus in Wonders Hall.
THE SIT-IN
Tensions had been brewing on campuses across the country at the time, including Wayne State University, with more and more Black students organizing to
protest the conditions of their educational environments. At MSU, Peyton, alongside other Black student leaders, started hosting “a series of late night talks and discussions.”
These discussions would be purposefully cloaked in “mystery” and “intrigue” as students were told to meet underneath a random lamppost on a random street corner. There, they would discuss issues relevant to Black students at MSU.
The call for action originated at a latenight meeting in Wonders Kiva.
As the student-appointed spokesperson, Peyton would be in charge of organizing the sit-in, which he did in collaboration with MSU Black Alumni and Black faculty on campus. A source of inspiration for the student organizers had been the protesters from the 1960s and 1970s who’d advocated for similar, if not the same, causes. Though the students did not divulge the specifics of their plans yet, Peyton said.
“We didn’t tell them what we were going to do, because, you know, you don’t want to put them in a position,” Peyton said. “But we were not strangers when we did eventually take over that building.”
At 4:30 p.m. on May 9, 1989, around 70 Black MSU students entered the halls of
the Hannah Administration Building. As faculty retired for the evening, students were instead setting up multiple changes of clothes and pillows for the night. They were instructed to bring rolls of quarters for payphones, as well as their textbooks. When students had questions, they turned to Peyton for answers.
“We purposely called it (a) ‘study-in’ because of the negative connotations to ‘sitin,’ but it is what it is, it’s sitting in,” Peyton said. “We were students, so we said ‘this is going to be a study-in.’”
Prior to the sit-in, numerous Black organizations on MSU’s campus had petitioned with the administration regarding retention rates and racism on campus. In 1989, only 30% of Black students would graduate within four years.
Students wore shirts branded with the phrase “BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY,” taken from Malcolm X’s speech given in 1964 to commemorate the founding of the Organization of Afro-American Unity. The same speech acts as the opening clip and title of a documentary made by Peyton about the student protest.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
State News file photo.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2025
SPRING TEAM
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Liz
CAMPUS
CONTACT THE STATE NEWS
(517) 295-1680
NEWSROOM/CORRECTIONS
(517) 295-5149
feedback@statenews.com GENERAL MANAGER Christopher Richert ADVERTISING M-F, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The State News is published by the students of Michigan State University every other Tuesday during the academic year. News is updated seven days a week at statenews.com. State News Inc. is a private, nonprofit corporation. Its current 990 tax form is available for review upon request at 435 E. Grand River Ave. during business hours.
One copy of this newspaper is available free of charge to any member of the MSU community. Additional copies are available at The State News office for a fee.
Copyright © 2025 State News Inc., East Lansing, Michigan
X
Michigan State sophomore forward Coen Carr (55) dunks the ball against Illinois at the State Farm Center on Feb. 15, 2025. The Spartans took a 79-65 victory over the Illini, earning their second win
FROM COVER: 1989 SIT-IN CONTINUES TO INSPIRE BLACK ACTIVISM
By May 11, the number of students reached around 300. At times, the number of students had looked to exceed 400, but some were sent home. The group set up camp on the frst foor of Hannah Administration Building, but had yet to expand and couldn’t accommodate a larger group.
“Now, the building was still operational, except for that frst foor, but I knew it would be risky to go on those different levels, because then you’re divided,” Peyton said.
Within the building, student leaders would meet with MSU President John A. DiBaggio and other members of the administration to negotiate. The rest of the students would watch motivational tapes of Martin Luther King Jr. or Malcolm X. Outside, there were marches in support of the sit-in.
“By participating in an event such as that historical event, you felt ownership of the university,” Peyton said. “People actually walked out feeling more green and white than when they walked in … I mean, I wear my Spartan colors proudly. It gave us a sense of ownership, the fact that we participated in that.”
A PERSISTING LEGACY
However, 1989 would not mark the last time Black students on campus would mobilize to protest issues of systemic racism. In 2011, Black
students led a silent march through campus after studying the practices of the 1989 sit-in. In 2019, Black Girls Unite held a march in Wells Hall before moving to protest in the Hannah Administration Building following a series of reported racist incidents on campus.
For the Black Students’ Alliance, graduation and retention rates for Black students on campus continues to be a pressing issue that the student
organization is actively working with the MSU administration to improve. According to last year’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report, the average graduation rate for African American/ Black students in 2023 was 65%, which was 17% less than the average for all students. The average persistence rate for Black students was 88.1%, which was 3.3% less than the average for all students.
BSA has worked with the Black Faculty Staff Association and MSU Black Alumni to create a position paper that outlines a series of initiatives they hope to accomplish by 2030 to increase graduation and retention rates for Black students. One of these initiatives includes potentially introducing a Living Learning Community to “ensure that students feel safe and actually have some sort of community on this campus,” BSA Internal President Angel Noaks said.
BSA hosted Peyton and a series of other student leaders from the 1989 sit-in last year during one of their meetings, where they were encouraged to “fght for what they believe in.”
The sit-in was also referenced when creating the “Hate Has a Home Here” campaign launched by BSA in November of 2024.
Asked how students should approach activism on campus, Peyton said “not everyone can be a leader, but everyone can be engaged.”
“So fnd a way to be engaged, to trigger that self discovery, passion and social intelligence,” he said.
The alumni networks that BSA has curated have been instrumental in maintaining “support” for the organization and its various campaigns.
“I thank them for their efforts, and I let them know that the work is not done,” Noaks said. “We’re going to continue to advocate on their behalf and also for the behalf of the students now.”
over the team this season. Photo by Brianna Schmidt.
Two students participate in the May 1989 Hannah Administration Building sit-in. Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections.
EDITORIAL:
is
critical to
the well-being of campus.
By The State News Editorial Board eic@statenews.com
President Donald Trump’s war on diversity feeds on mistakes. It requires errors from institutions that he can weaponize against those he deems adversaries. When it comes to higher education though, there’s no
ambiguity on his attitude; we know where we stand as the enemy.
In a recent executive order, Trump called for an investigation into institutions of higher education with endowments that exceed $1 billion in an attempt to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts. MSU is in the midst of a defining
moment. With its $4.6 billion endowment, the university is at risk of losing funding and support if it does not adhere to federal orders, such as those targeting diversity programs. DEI is critical to the well-being of campus. That’s why we’re standing by it — and MSU should too.
MSU leaders demonstrated their ability to course correct in the face of error following the cancellation of the “Future of DEI Policy” panel and Lunar New Year events, yet the damage was done. Going forward, the university needs to be as diligent as ever to remain strong in the face of bureaucratic pressure.
In response to the initial cancellation of the Lunar New Year event, Asian Pacific American Student Organization President Michael Oriyavong said last week that the “cancellation deeply impacts us and reinforces the idea that we should be afraid.”
The concerns from students in response to the cancellations proves to us that these events hold deep meaning for marginalized communities, so every action done by the university — whether supported by administration or not — makes a statement. These decisions don’t exist in a vacuum — they directly impact students, organizations and the broader
campus culture. And they make us question whether MSU is truly committed to fostering an inclusive environment or merely reacting to political pressures.
At The State News, the presence of strong DEI programs enriches the stories we tell, it helps us connect to our campus communities and produce more informed news in an industry that has been historically dominated by white male voices.
At a time where representation for students of color is dwindling, we are committed to staying strong on this front and we look to MSU to do the same.
We have seen firsthand the influential impact of cultural community events and organizations. Whether it be students coming together in celebration of the awaited Multicultural Center, finding their people at a UAB Pride event, or attending a global festival to meet fellow international students, without DEI, our reporting — and MSU as a whole — risks becoming incomplete, failing to reflect its diverse student body.
As it currently stands, there is no formal bureaucratic pressure on MSU to roll back diversity initiatives. But that’s not to say there won’t be. West Virginia University’s DEI Office closure due to Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s executive order is a
reminder that the threat is real and will most likely continue to loom over us for at least the next four years, and not just due to direct action by Trump.
Keeping tabs on our governor and local representatives is key, holding them accountable to protect diversity initiatives even if they don’t actively support Trump’s policies.
We have no time to wait for the next administration to pick up the broken pieces from this one. Regardless of how MSU abides to political pressures, students will continue to build the communities that define MSU. And we will continue to report on it, ensuring these stories are told, voices are heard and the impact of these efforts is recognized.
Removing DEI removes more than just policies; it erases careers, education and lifelong commitments to advocating for equal opportunities and standards that all MSU students deserve.
The State News Editorial Board is made up of editor-in-chief Liz Nass, managing editor Zachary Balcoff, campus editor Amalia Medina, life editor Kendra Gilchrist, sports editor Satvik Shubham, copy chief Claire Donohoe, multimedia editor Brendan Mullin, staff representative Jack Williams and DEI manager Jada Vasser.
MSU MUSEUM’S TECHNO EXHIBIT SHOWCASES DETROIT HISTORY, CULTURE
other labels that were purely dance music labels.”
Just an hour and half away from Michigan State University’s campus is the city of Detroit, a city rich in history and culture. This semester, the MSU Museum is showcasing a piece of that history that students may not realize is so close.
Running from Feb. 4 to April 30, the exhibition, “Techno: The Rise of Detroit’s Machine Music,” will be showcased at 311 Abbot Rd. The lead exhibition curator and MSU english professor Julian Chambliss worked with community curator and administrative team member at the Underground Resistance (UR) John Collins to curate
“The exhibition is focused on techno, which was created in Detroit,” Chambliss said. “One of the first sounds that was identified as Afrofuturist was techno.”
The connection between techno music and Afrofuturism is one of the prime themes of the exhibit, along with what techno means to the Detroit community. Collins described Afrofuturism and its connection to techno as the theme of liberation and freedom.
“(Techno) was about in the future, things would be better,” Collins said. “I know Octavia Butler, I think, is credited with creating Afrofuturism, but for me, it dates back to slavery.”
Music emphasized liberation and freedom did not die when slavery ended, but continues in techno. The job of UR is to place an emphasis on artists who are writing these impactful lyrics.
“It is a label that drops knowledge,” Collins said. “Which made UR stand out among
The exhibit represents all of the aspects techno is rooted in, such as knowledge and liberation, by being a multimedia experience. The exhibit features a 45-minute sound installation by UR, a video installation by Detroit based artist Andrew Charles Edman (ACE) and objects relevant to Detroit’s techno beginnings. Throughout the semester there will be live DJs and a poetry slam hosted in the exhibit.
“When you’re listening to it all the way through, you’re getting a kind of journey of what techno is and was and how it went from a sort of Detroit based thing to a global phenomenon,” Chambliss said.
The music ties in with the visual installation by ACE, a historical journey in time with the music. The objects represent the history of the technology, the clubs and the people who made Techno.
“Altogether the sounds, visuals and objects (are) trying to tell you and put you on a journey around techno and Detroit,” Chambliss said.
Philosophy senior and MSU Museum Collaborator Sydney Urbaniak watched the exhibit come to life. Being from Detroit herself, Urbaniak admitted she never had full knowledge of techno’s history.
“I didn’t quite understand the whole history of (techno) and everything beyond it being just a Detroit style music,” Urbaniak said.
As a result of the exhibit, Chambliss and Collins hope students want to learn more about techno.
Collins encouraged students to schedule a tour of ‘Exhibit 3000’ in Detroit. Collins serves as a tour guide at ‘Exhibit 3000,’ which gives a detailed history of techno from its start to the present day. Chambliss mentioned reading books as a great way for students to engage, with “Techno Rebels” by Dan Sicko being one he recommends.
“Detroit has gone through a lot. But, in the future music takes us to where we are doing better,” Collins said. “It’s not that they walk away learning the true history of techno, but more specifically that it was created by Black people.”
The MSU Museum exhibit ‘Techno: The Rise of Detroit’s Machine Music,’ is open from Feb. 4-April. 30. It features various elements that symbolize the history of the origins of Techno in Detroit. Photo by Brianna Schmidt.
The completed booking documents for international DJ gigs is showcased in the MSU Museum newest exhibit ‘Techno: The Rise of Detroit’s Machine Music,’ from Feb. 4-April 30. Photo by Brianna Schmidt.
The Roland MC-505/Alesis MMT-8 multi track midi recorder is showcased in the MSU Museum newest exhibit ‘Techno: The Rise of Detroit’s Machine Music,’ from Feb. 4-April 30. Photo by Brianna Schmidt.
MSU MUSEUM RELEASES CURRICULUM HONORING DETROIT’S BLACK BOTTOM NEIGHBORHOOD
By Hannah Locke hlocke@statenews.com
The MSU Museum released “Honor in Action: Celebrating the Community History of Detroit’s Black Bottom Neighborhood,” a curriculum guide for teaching students about the historical significance and community of Detroit’s Black Bottom Neighborhood.
The curriculum provides teachers and community leaders with one central lesson and three additional lessons all centering physical and oral artifacts that celebrate the neighborhood’s people and history. The curriculum meets the K-12 standards laid out by the Michigan Department of Education for English language arts, social studies and visual arts.
MSU Museum Director of Education Denice Blair was one of three authors of the curriculum guide. Blair said they hoped the timing of the guide’s release would line up with Black History Month.
“I would encourage people to use this for Black History Month, but also to use it for beyond,” Blair said. “This is a great curriculum for any time of year.”
“Honor in Action” began with discussions among museum leaders about how to make
museum artifacts and resources more widely available to the public.
“We want to think critically about all the fun and innovative ways, and, frankly, intellectual ways and creative ways that the collections can be utilized for other types of learning and creation,” said Devon Akmon, director of the MSU Museum and CoLab Studio.
Detroit’s Black Bottom neighborhood was an integrated community in the early 1900s, until redlining changed the community’s racial make-up to be almost entirely Black. It was a vibrant community of houses, businesses and art. But then in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the neighborhood was targeted and destroyed to make way for the Interstate 375 highway.
“It’s a really rich story, and we knew it was one that a lot of people would have interest in,” Akmon said. “We said, wow, this is a great opportunity to build an educational resource for both college students and for high school students that would enable them to better understand the story and this historical legacy, and how they might be able to apply that now in making the world a better place.”
The central lesson of the guide focuses on a quilt from the Black Bottom neighborhood called the Detroit Signature Quilt. The quilt
was acquired by the museum and researched by Marsha MacDowell, a curator at the museum and professor in the Department of Art, Art History and Design.
MacDowell was also an author on the curriculum guide. She said that through names and addresses stitched on the quilt and through Detroit church communities, she and undergraduate researcher Berkley Sorrells tied the quilt to the Black Bottom community.
“We were able to have sort of a quilt sharing day, and we recorded their reminiscences about growing up in that church and quilting activities, and in their stories, it shows how vibrant a community it was, and people still feel connected to that area of Detroit,” MacDowell said.
Another important part of the curriculum guide is the focus on honoring. MacDowell said the quilt represented the honoring that quilt makers showed one another and their communities.
“Just the act of making a quilt and putting names on it means that in one way or another, those people are affiliated, maybe with a religion, maybe with a cause, maybe just living in a geographic region, but something binds them together in the act of making this communal piece of art,” MacDowell said.
From the quilt, the curriculum guide was created.
“We thought, how can we extend this out and encourage students to think about how people honored people in the past, and how do we honor people today? And it went much beyond the quilt,” Blair said.
Blair collaborated with multiple community organizations and leaders to gather information about the Black Bottom neighborhood. These included Marsha Music, the Black Bottom Archives and the Detroit Historical Society.
“It extended even to things like oral history and poetry, which gave this curriculum guide unbelievable depth,” Blair said. “It is cross disciplinary. It is very much active, and it engages students in a lot of different ways than just looking at one type of object.”
There are also physical resource kits that go along with the lessons that teachers local to the Lansing area can borrow free of charge.
“My vision for how people use this in classrooms would be that they would use the materials creatively and look at the needs of their students and the interests of their students, and see how they could make this fit into what they would like to have their students learn and experience,” Blair said.
The MSU Museum on Feb. 6, 2025. Photo by Alexis Schmidt
FILMMAKER FRED KUDJO KUWORNU PRESENTS
NEW DOCUMENTARY ‘WE WERE HERE’ AT MSU
By Robin Han rhan@statenews.com
Filmmaker and scholar Fred Kudjo Kuwornu screened his newest documentary, “We Were Here — The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe,” at Michigan State University on Wednesday, Feb. 12. This event was one of several in MSU’s Black History Month itinerary. It was sponsored by the History Department, the Department of African American and African Studies, the African Studies Center and the Office for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion.
Kuwornu is known for his work exploring race, identity and the African diaspora. His previous films, such as “Blaxploitalian: 100 Years of Blackness in Italian Cinema” and “Inside Buffalo,” examine the experiences of Black individuals.
In his new documentary, Kuwornu takes an active role in the narrative, inserting himself in the story as an Italian-Ghanian who embarks on a journey to uncover and explore his own history. In the documentary, Kuwornu states, “neutrality is not an option.”
“We Were Here,” which has been exhibited at the prestigious Venice Biennale, delves into the forgotten history of Black communities in Europe. The documentary sheds light on the lives and contributions of Black Europeans, tracing their presence and impact across different historical periods. Through interviews and years of traveling, Kuwornu reconstructs a narrative that has often been erased from mainstream historical accounts.
When asked what was interesting about the film, history professor Liam Brockey said that it’s not the story of just one place in Europe, but “so many places.”
“All of the different people
interviewed in the film give you a sense of Fred’s point, which is ‘we were here,’” Brockey said. “That’s not just one corner of Europe, that’s all over the place.”
Brockey added that “it’s a historical truth.”
Kuwornu engaged in a discussion with attendees, addressing questions about his filmmaking process, the importance of reclaiming marginalized histories and the broader implications of the film in contemporary discussions on race and identity.
Asked what he hopes to achieve with the documentary, Kuwornu said he hopes to bring more attention to issues in Europe, not just those in the U.S.
“When you talk about slavery and racism in Europe, they address the problem to America, and so it’s important to give the Europeans much more consciousness about the Renaissance when it comes to slavery,” he said.
MSU community dialogue explores history of protest music
By Somer Sodeman ssodeman@statenews.com
As East Lansing was accumulating nearly six inches of snow the night of Feb. 12, members of JMC’s Office of Justice, Equity and Inclusion and MSU W.E.B. Du Bois Society were expecting minimal attendance for their event. Yet over 30 students, staff and faculty gathered in a wide circle in Case Hall for their dialogue of AfricanAmerican protest pedagogy in music.
Starting off the event was Grant Dean, the chair of advocacy and policy committee of the W.E.B. Du Bois Society, presenting the timeline of protest music from the transatlantic slave trade to modern day.
He provided insight on a wide variety of historical music genres: spirit and work songs from 1600-1800, blues and jazz early resistance songs from 1920-1940, Motown, liberation and gospel songs from the Civil Rights Movement, as well as hip-pop, rap and blatant resistance
mainstream music played today.
The historical presentation was followed by a break-down of the symbolism in Kendrick Lamar’s recent Super Bowl performance. And with the remaining time, they held a group discussion on historical protest movements, their impact on music and the overall relevance of these topics to MSU students and society today.
Social work senior Mckenzie Wilson spoke about the NFL’s removal of the “end racism” message on the field prior to the Super Bowl, which was replaced with “choose love.”
“(The NFL) took that away when it was probably the most important time for it to be there,” Wilson said. “That message could’ve gone very far, but for it to be taken away, knowing how big the Super Bowl is, is so frustrating to see. I think we as a community let it slide.”
She related this instance to the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, speaking about the performative measures people took by posting black squares on Instagram.
Immediately, Demetrius Tyson, a sophomore in international relations, raised his hand to speak.
“I just wanted to echo my disdain for performative activism,” Tyson said. “I feel that there’s no greater waste of time than to go and tell people how you feel while not actually being a voice and a part of a community that actually gets things done.”
He further stated how he is disgusted with
the “conservative pipeline this country has gone down.”
As the conversation ebbed and flowed from different topics ranging from Beyoncé winning the Grammy for the best country album to what it means to be Black in America, Jahshua Smith, alumni and DEI specialist at JMC, reflected on the importance of this event.
“I think there’s a mix of students who are probably scared more than ever to affirm that they believe in DEI because they don’t want to be targeted,” Smith said. “I think there are students who are also looking for an outlet to talk about what’s important to them.”
For discussion events like these, Smith believes it’s imperative to remove the power dynamic between professors and students to be able to have these conversations at an equal level.
For Dean, these events feel important now more than ever.
“I think with everything that’s happened in the past few months, multiple different communities are really seeing the urgency of solidarity, that at this time, we really do need to come together,” he said. “Whether directly or not, someone that you know or you yourself is going to be impacted by the multiple things that are coming out of the White House right now. So it’s really important to be there for one another, to stand with each other because whether you like it or not, you’re going to be affected.”
Fred Kudjo Kuwornu answers questions after the screening of his film “We Were Here: The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe” in Wells Hall on Feb. 12, 2025.
Photo by Rachel Lewis.
Attendees tackle a series of discussion questions about protest in the form of music during an event hosted by the W.E.B. Du Bois Society at Case Hall on Feb. 12, 2025. Photo by Matthew Williams.
‘MJ THE MUSICAL’ BRINGS LATE STAR’S LEGACY TO WHARTON CENTER
By Amy Cho acho@statenews.com
On Tuesday, Feb. 11, the multiple Tony Award-winning musical, “MJ the Musical,” arrived on Michigan State University’s campus at the Wharton Center for Performing Arts’ Cobb Great Hall.
“MJ the Musical” features a book authored by Lynn Nottage, a two-time Pulitzer prize winner, and Tony awardwinning choreography from director Christopher Wheeldon. The jukebox musical is based on the life of the “King of Pop,” Michael Jackson.
Acting and advertising sophomore and self-proclaimed “theater kid” Sara Sodke said her interest in the musical started in high school when her theater director went to see the show when it was still in the works.
“Now that it’s coming here, I definitely want to see what it’s turned into, (what) it has become,” Sodke said. “I also just really like Michael Jackson’s music, and I think his story is fascinating, so I’d like to watch that.”
Special education junior Anna Nerat said she’s looking forward to fully immersing herself in the musical.
“Anytime I go see a show at the Wharton, I just look forward to having two and a half hours to just kind of forget about everything else in the world and just tune in and enjoy the show,” Nerat said. “I love Michael Jackson’s music, and I’m just so excited to see it be brought to life through a jukebox musical.”
For the cast members and performers, the musical is much more than just a performance.
Jordan Markus, who plays Michael Jackson in “MJ the Musical,” said the role helps him feel the spirit of Michael Jackson.
“Michael’s whole message was to heal the world and preach love and unity, and I think we built such a community in that spirit that you can’t help but feel it once you walk on stage and you see everybody smiling,” Markus said. “Before I even go on stage ... I’m getting in the zone, just trying to encompass everything that he was as best as I can, like as a vessel, because it is physically me on stage, but the show itself has such a spiritual aspect to it that Michael lives through.”
Markus emphasized how fun and
challenging the role has been, and the impact Michael Jackson has left on his own musical journey.
“It truly is the most fun I’ve ever had on stage doing any show, (but) it’s also the hardest, but that comes with the territory,” Markus said. “It’s difficult, but rewarding, and it means a lot to little Jordan and it means a lot to present-day Jordan as well.”
“MJ the Musical” also stands out because of how the narrative is structured, Sodke said.
“I think this musical has different stages of life because Michael Jackson had a career when he was younger, then he got bigger when he was older,” Sodke said. “So having a younger version and an older version, I don’t really see that a lot, especially in shows about musical figures.”
When portraying Michael Jackson, Markus said there are some things that he keeps in mind, such as emphasizing the human side of the “King of Pop.”
“I think he was a very well-rounded person like the rest of us,” Markus said. “He had good days, bad days. He had his moments where he felt lonely, he felt happy, felt excited, he felt passion. Remembering that he was an entire human rather than just a performer, just a singer, just a dancer, is probably the thing that I take with me the most, because I think to portray him honestly, that’s the only way.”
The costumes also play a vital role in portraying Michael Jackson, Markus explained.
“Michael’s not only the king of pop, he’s also the king of fashion, in my opinion. He has such influence, even to this day, on the fashion industry,” Markus said. “I think his music and his looks and his performances are all kind of woven together. He always made sure that he made a statement with whatever he wore, whatever he did, whatever song he was singing.”
Markus hopes the audience will come prepared to learn more about Michael Jackson’s life and music.
“I hope that the audience comes into the theater ready to receive something they might not have known about Michael before, and also ready to have fun,” Markus said. “At the end of the day, it’s a huge party. By the end of the show, we’re all up, dancing, having a good time.”
“Remembering that he was an entire human rather than just a performer, just a singer, just a dancer, is probably the thing that I take with me the most.”
“MJ the Musical” star Jordan Markus’ jackets hang in his dressing room at the Wharton Center on Feb. 12, 2024. The show ran at the Wharton Center for Performing Arts’ Cobb Great Hall from Feb. 11-16. Photo by Alexis Schmidt.
Jordan Markus Performer
“MJ the Musical” star, Jordan Markus, in his dressing room at the Wharton Center on Feb. 12, 2024. Photo by Alexis Schmidt.