ORANGEBURG, S.C.
James Brown knew all along that he wanted to open a museum to inspire people — especially the poor — to pursue their dreams. So he carefully saved all his belongings, from glittering suits and glossy shoes to the comb he used to neatly sculpt his hair.
The soul singer who died in 2006 says so himself in a new exhibit at South Carolina State University that showcases the attention he paid to his roots, his eclectic tastes and his showman’s image.
“I’m going to make a James Brown museum because I want people to know that a young kid really has a chance to make it. And the only way they have a chance to make it is if he has somebody around to look at,” Brown says as he combs his hair on a video displayed at the exhibit.
Brown, who died of heart failure at 73, grew up poor during segregation in a rural county of South Carolina and rose to stardom with hits like “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” and “Please, Please, Please.”
Since his death, attorneys for his family and the trust he established for poor children have haggled over how to divide his estate. That fight has delayed plans supported by some of the family to turn his Beech Island home into a museum and site for his mausoleum, along the lines of Elvis Presley’s Graceland estate.
In the meantime, many of Brown’s belongings are being shown for the first time at the historically Black college, chosen because of Brown’s support for civil rights and education. The free display opened Feb. 20 and runs until Sept. 1.
