Civil rights leader Al Sharpton has told mourners at Michael Brown’s funeral that their presence requires them to be agents for change.

Al Sharpton asks those at the funeral of Michael Brown what they have done to prompt change since Brown's death.  (screencap courtesy; KTVI)

Al Sharpton asks those at the funeral of Michael Brown what they have done to prompt change since Brown’s death. (screencap courtesy; KTVI)

“Michael Brown must be remembered for more than disturbances,” Sharpton told a large audience at a St. Louis church. “He must be remembered for this is where they started changing what was going on.”

“Michael has gone on to get his rest now. We are required in his name to change the country,” he said.

Brown, 18, was shot to death by a white Ferguson policeman August 9. A St. Louis County grand jury is investigating the incident but the county prosecutor says its work might not be done until October.

Sharpton told the mostly African-American audience that the black community cannot expect white America to do all of the changing.

“What does God expect of us?” he asked. “We’ve got to be straight up in our community, too. We have to be outraged at a nine-year old girl killed in Chicago. We have to be outraged by our disrespect for each other; our disregard for each other; our killing and shooting each other, and running around gun totin’ each other so that they’re justifying coming at us because of acts like the definition of blackness is how low you can go.”

“Blackness,” he said, “has never been about being a gangster or a thug. Blackness is about no matter how low we were put down, we rose up anyhow.”

Sharpton reminded the audience that Michael Brown’s family wants peace in the streets. “They want silence today,” he said, urging demonstrators to do so peacefully. “If not, don’t do it in Michael’s name; do it in your own name,” he concluded, predicting, “Justice is gonna come; Justice is gonna come; Justice is gonna come!”

Civil rights leader Al Sharpton has told mourners at Michael Brown’s funeral that their presence requires them to be agents for change. “Michael Brown must be remembered for more than disturbances,” he told a large audience at a St. Louis church . “He must be remembered for this is where they started changing what was going on.”
“Michael has gone on to get his rest now. We are required in his name to change the country.” he said
Brown, 18, was shot to death by a white Ferguson policeman August 9. A St. Louis County grand jury is investigating the incident but the county prosecutor says its work might not be done until October.
Sharpton told the mostly African-American audience that the black community cannot expect white America to do all of the changing. “What does god expect of us?” he asked. “We’ve got to be straight up in our community, too. We have to be outraged at a nine-year old girl killed in Chicago. We have to be outraged by our disrepsect for each other; our disregard for each other; our killing and shooting each other, and running around gun totin’ each other so that they’re justifying coming at us becuae of acts like the definition of blackness is how low you can go.”
“Blackness,” he said, “has never been about being a gangster or a thug. Blackness is about no matter how low we were put down, we ros up anyhow.”?
Sharpton reminded the audience that Michael Brown’s family wants peace in the streets. “They want silence today,” he said, urging demonstrators to do so peacefully. “If not, don’t do it in Michael’s name; do it in your own name,” he concluded, predicting, “Justice is gonna come; Justice is gonna come; Justice is goinna come!”

Civil rights leader Al Sharpton has told mourners at Michael Brown’s funeral that their presence requires them to be agents for change. “Michael Brown must be remembered for more than disturbances,” he told a large audience at a St. Louis church . “He must be remembered for this is where they started changing what was going on.”
“Michael has gone on to get his rest now. We are required in his name to change the country.” he said
Brown, 18, was shot to death by a white Ferguson policeman August 9. A St. Louis County grand jury is investigating the incident but the county prosecutor says its work might not be done until October.
Sharpton told the mostly African-American audience that the black community cannot expect white America to do all of the changing. “What does god expect of us?” he asked. “We’ve got to be straight up in our community, too. We have to be outraged at a nine-year old girl killed in Chicago. We have to be outraged by our disrepsect for each other; our disregard for each other; our killing and shooting each other, and running around gun totin’ each other so that they’re justifying coming at us becuae of acts like the definition of blackness is how low you can go.”
“Blackness,” he said, “has never been about being a gangster or a thug. Blackness is about no matter how low we were put down, we ros up anyhow.”?
Sharpton reminded the audience that Michael Brown’s family wants peace in the streets. “They want silence today,” he said, urging demonstrators to do so peacefully. “If not, don’t do it in Michael’s name; do it in your own name,” he concluded, predicting, “Justice is gonna come; Justice is gonna come; Justice is goinna come!”

AUDIO: Sharpton, part I

AUDO: Sharpton, part 2