Today in MJJ HIStory

1972 - In Los Angeles, California, the 13-year old Michael and the Jackson 5, dressed as Santas, make their appearance at Motown Records' Christmas party held at the Pacific Townclub. J5 and Mary Wilson of the Supremes offer presents - on behalf of their record company, Motown - to 700 (according to some sources, others reporting a number of 400) underprivileged children.

Lots of little tots were super-delighted to receive gifts and love from not one but five Santas at Motown Records' Christmas party Thursday. The Santas' identities were kept secret until they'd finished distributing presents to the youngsters.

In an article, titled "The Jackson 5 Really Changed!", the writer points out that "the first time the J5 did a benefit at a children’s hospital, Michael came home and cried all night at the memory of all those sick children lying in beds, some not even able to move their hands to clap. That is when he became actively involved in communicating with these kids. He corresponds with youngsters his own age in hospital all over the country. These are not letters dictated to a secretary by a superstar, but letters written in Michael’s own hand during breaks in recording or rehearsing or even in school."


1989 - The December 23, 1989 issue of Billboard recapped both the year and the decade passing. Overview of the decade in charts began with mentioning the biggest selling album of the decade: Michael Jackson was bothe the hottest and most immediately influential artist of the 80's. The Gloved One was far and away the top artist of 1983 in pop, black, and dance music, and also had the top album in all three formats, Thriller.

The recap of pop music in the 80's began: Michael was the hottest pop artist of the 80's, though, Prince, Madonna, Whitney Houston, and Geroge Michael gave him a run for his money in the second half of the decade.