The $28,000, custom-etched monument will be unveiled during a memorial service there on Saturday, July 11.
Work on the 5,000-pound monument started this week, said Darren Boykin of Stone Plans. It got some finishing touches Thursday, July 9, and will be shipped to the city in northwest Indiana this morning.
The front of the monument shows Jackson in the center of a large moon performing his trademark moonwalk dance move. The top of the monument depicts Jackson’s masked face from the cover of his “Dangerous” album, with the words “King of Pop” inscribed underneath. Under the moon is etched the Jackson 5 song title “Never Can Say Goodbye.”
On the back, a biography of the entertainer is surrounded by photographs from his life. The lyrics for “Gone Too Soon” follow.
“The city (Gary) gave birth to the King of Pop,” Boykin said. “Not a local artist or a national artist, but an international superstar. I want them to be proud. I want them to look at the monument and say, ‘Wow. He was one of us.’ ”
Boykin wants Dayton to know the monument is a gift from the city, not just from Stone Plans.
“If we’re going to be in your community and we’re going to do business in your community, it’s important that we give back. Even though Stone Plans paid for the monument, manufactured it, donated it ... it’s from Dayton as well.”
The monument, which will be unveiled by Jackson’s father, Joe Jackson, and Gary Mayor Rudolph Clay, will be installed at Gary’s city hall.
The service is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at the Steelyard Baseball Stadium. Admission is free.
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