Usually, politicizing something like an Oscar acceptance speech is a bad idea. But it’s hard not to be moved by Common and John Legend’s speech accepting Best Original Song for Selma’s “Glory.” The two artists used their stage time to touch on everything from free speech in France to America’s broken criminal justice system, which Legend compared to slavery.
“We know that right now the struggle for freedom and justice is real,” said Legend. “We live in the most incarcerated country in the world. There are more black men under correctional control today than were under slavery in 1850.”
Common recalled when they performed their song on the same bridge civil rights groups once marched over in protest 50 years ago. “The spirit of this bridge transcends race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and social status,” he said. “The spirit of this bridge connects the kid from the South Side of Chicago, dreaming of a better life, to those in France standing up for their freedom of expression, to the people in Hong Kong protesting for democracy.”
Watch below, via Vulture:
