We begin however, tonight in Missouri where the family of Michael Brown had a request to celebrate his life, to lay him to rest in silence. That request was honoured today. Protest gave way to peace. Teargas was replacd with tears. As people gathered at Brown's funeral to celebrate his life just over 2 weeks after his death, family members spoke of the young man they called MacMike', a big guy  what they say a kind and gentle soul. Thousands turned up at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis. Family, friends, community leaders, clergy members, strangers and stars, all to say goodbye to 18- year- old Michael Brown to honour the memory of his young life. ** reports. 

 

    Organizers call it a celebration of the life of Michael Brown. Family members and complete strangers jumped at their feet, clapping and shouting, but not Leslie McSpadden. At the start of the service, she stood, staring at her son's cast and photos, more than 2 weeks after he was shot and killed on the street in Ferguson, Missouri. Michael Brown's blood is crying from the ground, crying for vengeance, crying for justice. Justice, Brown's great uncle says, for more than just his nephew. There's a cry being made from the ground, not just for Michael Brown, but for the Trayvon Martins, for those children in Sandy Hook elementary school,for the Columbine Massacre, for the black- on- black crime. That is the cry being made from the ground! And there was the death on masses of,you know, keep it peaceful, and it's always at home. Excuse me, it starts at home. I think all was out so the community ** to the world. You know we have discovered with ourselves and they ain't go out, and you know spread peace and be respectful dearfully. First and foremost, we're respectful for others. ** never met Brown, likely neither had many of the estimated 4500 attendees. Some wearing a memorial T- shirt or sharing a story about someone they'd lost. I know the grieving over lost grandchildren that will never be born. Celebrities and notables like Spike Lee and Jessie Jackson sat at the seemingly reserved VIP section next to politicians from the state capital and the nation's capital, and there was plenty of politics. What you guys can do to continue this is show up at the voting polls. Let your voices be heard and let everyone know that we have had enough of all of this. 

 

    But after weeks of protests with moments of violence, bombs of teargas and standout with police, a plea. Today is for peace. Peace and quiet, we will lay our son, brother, cousin, uncle, our family. Young man, young black man, young human being. But we don't say goodbye. We say good journey until we meet again. Joining me along is Michael Brown's cousin Eric Davis with Benjamin Crump who is the attorney for the Brown family. Eric, thank you very much for being with us again. Our condolences to you and your family. Hmm, as you saw today, what to you was the greatest message that came out of today's services? I think the greatest image that came out of today's srvices is that this is the beginning of a movement. This is not just a burial for Michael Brown, but a movement for the country, for the communities to come together and to speak to the police offices about how they are policing our communities, and I believe that was the message that Reverend al Sharpten drove home very well today. And Eric we saw some of that voter registration drives outside regi- barbecue on Thursday night when I was let there last. Do you believe that this will continue to be a movement that goes beyond the, you know, beyond your cousin and impact people around the country? Yes, I do. Michael did let us know as we spoke of today that his name would be known around the world, and I do believe that this is a movement that just to begin another movement, because things that have happened and heard in Ferguson, Missouri, they are also protestors of New York city, Los Angeles and around the world, so I do believe that this is just the beginning of the movement for the African- American community can speak out to let people know that the police need to treat us fair and justly in our communities.