*Sunday’s Oscar ceremony ended with “Selma” batting 500. It lost Best Picture, but won Best Original Song trophy for performers and songwriters Common and John Legend.
In his acceptance speech, Common linked what happened on the Edmund Pettus bridge in Selma, Alabama and the civil rights movement to similar movements in France and Hong Kong.
“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 those in Hong Kong, protesting for democracy,” he said. “This bridge was built on hope, welded with compassion and elevated with love for all human beings.”
John Legend didn’t beat around the bush, either.
“We say that Selma is now, because the struggle for justice is right now,” he said. “We know that the Voting Rights Act that they fought for 50 years ago is being compromised right now in this country today. We know that right now, the struggle for freedom and justice is real. We live in the most incarcerated country in the world. There are more black men under correctional control today then were under slavery in 1850.” He concluded with: “We are with you, we see you, we love you and march on.”
Watch their speeches:
Watch their performance:
