Known by fans and admirers as the “Godfather of Soul,” “Mr. Dynamite,” “Soul Brother Number One,” and “the Hardest Working Man in Show Business,” James Brown was one of the most influential musical figures of the 20th century, especially when it comes to soul, funk, rhythm & blues and rap, impressing and inspiring millions in a career that spanned nearly six decades propelled the popularity of Rhythm and Blues and influenced many artists and genres to come it wasn't just his unique voice and style that set him apart as he continually triumphed over adversity and was a charitable advocate for social and civil rights as well as a advocate for the benefits of childhood education. From the beginning, James Brown faced significant adversity During the Great Depression of May 3, 1933, James Joe Brown Jr. was born barely clinging to life in a dilapidated one-room shack in the woods. of South Carolina, just outside Barnwell and near the Georgia border (Weinger and White). It was in this little shack that Brown's aunt revived the nearly dead child who would become one of the century's greatest musical icons. After only a few years, Brown's parents separated when he was four years old and Brown was sent to Augusta, Georgia to live with his Aunt Honey who worked at a brothel (James Joe Brown Jr.). Growing up black and in poverty during the Great Depression was another hardship Brown had to endure. “A young Brown did every odd job he could find, literally for pennies. He danced for the soldiers at nearby Fort Gordon, picked cotton, washed cars and shined shoes” (James Joe Brown Jr.) Brown reflects on the difficult times of his childhood stating “I started shining shoes for 3 cents,...... medium paper ......hymn that “united and inspired generations” (James Joe Brown Jr.) Brown believed in nonviolent protests and even told H. Rap ​​Brown of the Black Panther “I won't tell anyone about get a gun” (James Joe Brown Jr.) After the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., Brown held a live concert in Boston that was broadcast throughout the city and, as hoped, resulted in a significant amount of violence and riots that would have otherwise occurred (James Joe Brown Jr.) Brown died in 2006 from congestive heart failure resulting from pneumonia. Tens of thousands of people, including admirer Micheal Jackson, paid their respects as his horse-drawn carriage passed through Harlem (James Brown). The "Godfather of Soul" was one of the most influential musical pioneers and cultural forces of the 20th century and was a key inspiration for generations of artists to come..