He gave an emotional speech at the grave teenager Michael Brown: The militant civil rights activist Al Sharpton U.S. sits at the forefront of a new black movement – a dramatic change for the former Ziindler.

It is the sermon of his life. Al Sharpton is in the pulpit, his voice echoes through the church ranks. “We all have a duty to respond,” he thunders, and his finger pricks in the direction of the coffin before him. “And we all will clarify that.” Hundreds jump on, they rage, roar, howl.

Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis: The funeral of the suburb Ferguson was shot by a white police officer black teenager Michael Brown is a political and religious beacon. A charismatic speaker after another enters the stage and whipped the masses.

And then: Al Sharpton. “We should not sit here today and pretend as if that were all right,” warns of civil rights in his flaming grave speech. “This young man should be his second week in college.”

Sharpton condemned the police – and in the same breath the looting at the beginning of the protests. “America”, calls the Brooklyn Baptist minister, and the cadences of Martin Luther King vibrate through his words, “how do you think we look like?”

Michael Brown Funeral:He is slimming 70 kilos and waives gold chain

The controversial U.S. black leader wearing a new garment. He sat at the head of a last leaderless movement that has won by the events of Ferguson sharpness. The former rebels of the gap between the races only deepened long has it found his calling: voice of the disenfranchised blacks – but also hope for a national unity.

Because if Sharpton calls, America listens on. A dramatic change for the former political pariah. Visual means alone: Sharpton speckte from 70 pounds and traded his hung with gold chains tracksuits against pinstripes.

The old emissary Black Rage has styled the symbol of a newly inflamed debate. More, Sharpton has the highest level of local influence-crested head – “preferred race officer of the White House,” writes the web magazine “Politico”.

Already last week, Sharpton was in Ferguson. “This is a defining moment,” he called. His presence helped to calm things down.

Michael Brown Funeral:He was the tour manager of James Brown

Officially, he made ​​the trip at the request of Michael Brown’s grandfather. Unofficially, but he came as an emissary of President Barack Obama, who keeps a low stresses on racism yes.

Two men, two opposite Naturelle: The loud Sharpton, it is said from the White House, have the personal confidence of the silent president. “He has a credibility that no one else has,” said an Obama confidant to “Politico”.

That was not always so. Sharpton began as a tour manager of funk and soul pioneer James Brown, in turn, is just back in the headlines, thanks to a moving biopic. As Brown played Sharpton and long like the role of the outsider zündelnden.

The list of his controversy is long. In 1987 he defended the 15-year-old Tawana Brawley, who claimed to have been raped by six white men. A court ruled that the charges were invented, Sharpton was convicted of defamation. The episode made ​​him early a caricature, immortalized in Tom Wolfe’s novel “Bonfire of the Vanities”.

No racial unrest, without that Sharpton was not there – and the flames fanned. Sometimes literally: in 1995 he demonstrated in Harlem against the loading of a white businessman. A rioter put the shop on later, seven employees died.

Michael Brown Funeral:”I want to cut his balls”

In the election campaign in 1992 Sharpton did not support Bill Clinton, the hope of the Democrats – but the civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, his older mentor and eventual rival. Sharpton’s political rise seemed so once and for all blocks.

Then came Obama. Actually, the Jackson had chosen as a civil right consultants. But let himself get caught, as it pulled about the candidate: “I will cut off his balls.”

Sharpton filled the gap. Although Obama was aware of their different nature, such as the “New York Times” rumored “Reverend, my issue is a bit different than yours,” he had said to Sharpton in 2004. “I want to try to unite all Americans.”

It was known little – and Sharpton saw come his hour. Especially thanks to the flank protection of Obama’s top adviser Valerie Jarrett he was in the White House slowly backing.

It helped that he softened his style, his appearance changed and since 2011 has his own talk show on cable channel MSNBC. Meanwhile, Sharpton is a frequent guest of the Obamas about their Super Bowl parties.

It was also because Jarrett, who urged him to go to Ferguson. Only he did not know the place, “Ferguson, where is that?” Today the whole world knows – and him.

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