30. Michael Jackson Was Born in Gary, Indiana
When Jackson was born in Gary in 1958, it was a booming part of the Chicago suburban area that provided employment opportunities for African American families. Sadly, the loss of the steel industry, which had employed Michael’s father Joe, led to a drastic reduction in the population of the town. It is now one of the poorest and most violent cities in the Midwest. It is currently estimated that at least one-third of the city’s houses are abandoned or vacant.
