By Daryl Brown, Michael P. Chabries<\/p>\n
I Feel Good<\/p>\n
I have taken you Inside the Godfather in a way that few, if any, have been able. I am grateful for those who have shared their stories. Thank you.<\/p>\n
This final chapter includes some of my fondest memories of James Brown. They are not in any particular order. These are reflections of people, places, and events that would have him say, \u201cWo! I feel good.\u201d<\/p>\n
The most important idea I want you to understand about my father was something he often said: \u201cWhen God resurrects you you got to resurrect others.\u201d<\/p>\n
In 1987, my father announced his intention to give the children of Georgia and South Carolina most of his wealth. He established a trust fund for the poor and needy children to receive funds for their education. It was estimated the trust fund would have been worth $100,000,000. If you knew my father at all, he never wanted any child
\nto suffer as he did. Smiles he witnessed on their faces brought a sense of pride that was only equaled by the joy he felt performing.<\/p>\n
Similarly, the practice of giving away as many as a thousand turkeys at Thanksgiving was one of the highlights of his year. He began the day with a public prayer, sang with a gospel choir, and shook the hands of the crowd that lined up for blocks to see
\nthe Godfather.<\/p>\n
He was never able to leave the scars from his childhood behind. Memories of hunger pangs in Barnwell and Augusta motivated him to provide an annual feast for those who were equally hungry. These were his people. He loved them. Writing that check was easy.<\/p>\n
Some families made it through the line twice. It was easy to spot them and some people encouraged my father to withhold his generosity. The thought never crossed his mind. He believed if they needed a second turkey – this was a way for God to provide.<\/p>\n
My father loved Christmas. He loved to sing at Christmas and provide hundreds of thousands of dollars in toys for children. He gave back to his community much more than the annual toy giveaway in Augusta. His generosity started back in the 1960s, and never stopped until he died on Christmas day. In particular, he loved to give bicycles to boys and dolls to girls. More importantly, he wanted each child to pick something out that would make them happy. He didn\u2019t want their parents or his staff to pick out a toy for them; that was the privilege of the child.<\/p>\n
If he ran low on toys or turkeys, he simply turned to his staff and said, \u201cGo buy more, people are still waiting in line.\u201d He may have single-handedly saved the toy stores in Augusta.<\/p>\n
Danny Ray, his Cape Man said: \u201cMr. Brown used to give away a lot of things. He would give away toys to kids. He used to tell me, \u2018These are things I never had. I never had anything like this. I had to pick cotton in Carolina.\u2019 Around Christmas time he would take
\ncare of the kids. He knew the kids didn\u2019t have a lot of things. If he saw a kid, he would give them whatever he could. He would also try to help the moms. Shoot yeah. He started the Christmas thing because of his memory of being a kid.<\/p>\n
It was tough with his daddy thing. He would walk from Barnwell, South Carolina all the way over to Augusta, Georgia.<\/p>\n
\u2018More than 50 miles,\u2019 he said. \u2018The first bicycle I got, Glen gave it to me. I rode that bike everywhere.\u2019 That is why he gave so many kids bikes. It was better than walking. He also started the toy giveaway. He didn\u2019t like to see kids with sad faces. I think he enjoyed watching the kids smile more than even the kid did
\ngetting a present.<\/p>\n
His Christmas decorations were legendary in Augusta. Thousands of eager spectators drove to see the famous black Santa when he lived up on the hill. What most people don\u2019t know \u2013 he was Black Santa. He loved to give all year long. He didn\u2019t really care if you were naughty or nice; James Brown did not want to see you suffer. He would gladly endure pain for you if he could benefit your life. He never saw color, he only saw need.<\/p>\n
It is no coincidence that he died just after the toy giveaway. The thought of this day brought life to a dead man. His life was essentially over as soon as the toy giveaway ended in 2006.<\/p>\n
He gave away millions of dollars to the needy during his lifetime. He paid medical bills, rebuilt houses, paid utility bills, and provided hundreds of thousands of dollars in groceries to the needy. He loved to buy school supplies for children. It was his way of telling them to \u201cstay in school.\u201d<\/p>\n
My father loved to tip big for those who really took care of him. I know he tipped many people ten thousand dollars for their simple service. He loved to take care of single mothers who were waiting tables in restaurants. The money he had was not his. He \u2028never hesitated to give back. When he didn\u2019t have money, it\u2028 saddened him.
\nNot because he would go without, but because he \u2028could not help others in need. That was the role of the Godfather.<\/p>\n
Sadly, Christmas was a time of loneliness and despair for my\u2028father. He missed Alphie (heaven only knows why) and he missed\u2028 the hand, his staff, and his friends that were occupied with their\u2028 families. He was so hard on the band but in an odd way they were \u2028his dysfunctional family – the only family he really ever had.<\/p>\n
James Brown loved to give his employees a healthy Christmas\u2028bonus. Certain years he was not able to provide a bonus – he barely \u2028made payroll. This brought about a sense of despair for Mr. \u201cI feel\u2028 good.\u201d<\/p>\n
He wanted people to believe in themselves. When he wrote,\u2028\u201cSay it loud, I\u2019m black and I\u2019m proud\u201d he was really trying to get\u2028his people to \u201cget up on the good foot.\u201d<\/p>\n
When he saw homeless and unemployed people he became \u2028frustrated. It was one thing to be working and poor. It was quite \u2028another to simply waste your life away. He said, \u201cDon\u2019t give me a\u2028 handout; give me a way out.\u201d He would talk to homeless people in\u2028 shelters and do what he could to simply get them to move. That\u2028 was the very essence of his music; it moved body and soul. \u201cWear\u2028 your hat in the direction you want your life to go.\u201d Move forward\u2028 not backward\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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