Rock 'n' roll DJ legend Alan Freed's cremains have been removed from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to make room for a Beyoncé clothing exhibit. Freed was a Cleveland DJ in the '50s who coined the term "rock 'n' roll," and was a major reason the Hall of Fame is in Cleveland in the first place.
Freed helped to organize the first-ever rock concert, Moondog Coronation Ball (1952), as a way to spread the rock 'n' roll style. In a time when American music and live venues were segregated, he used his radio show to introduce R&B to white audiences.
Freed's son, Lance Freed, expressed his distaste with new museum owner Greg Harris' decision to remove his father's ashes. Freed's exhibit is also being moved from its own space to a shared Pioneers of Rock exhibit.
"It's pushing him to the side...It's making him part of the passing parade, rather than a place where people can say 'hey this is the guy who helped start it all,'" said Freed in an interview with the Plain Dealer.
Harris insists that the decision isn't made to be disrespectful of Freed's memory and contributions to rock 'n' roll. He said that the ashes were planned to be returned to the family all along, and that the museum is more effective displaying items with a cultural context or a story.
"The museum world is moving away from exhibiting remains," he said.
Though it is true that some might find the display of Freed's ashes rather morbid in an otherwise lighthearted atmosphere, it is quite a statement to remove the founder of rock 'n' roll in favor of performers' costumes.
Beyoncé's clothing exhibit contains her black leotard from "Single Ladies," her Super Bowl costume and her outfit from "Dangerously In Love," among others. For her part, Beyoncé is honored to have such a place in the Hall of Fame, and the amount of well-known items she was willing to donate to represent her career is actually impressive.
Freed's cremains had been on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 2002. He passed away at the age of 43 from cirrhosis of the liver due to alcoholism.
