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February 9, 2015

Performers Invoke "Black Lives Matter" Movement at Annual Grammy Awards 
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The Black Lives Matter movement took center stage at the Grammy Awards
Sunday as a number of performers referenced police killings of unarmed
African Americans. During a performance of his hit song, "Happy,"
Pharrell Williams and his backup dancers, who wore black hoodies, raised
their hands in the air in the "hands up, don't shoot" gesture, which has
become a symbol of police violence since the killing of Michael Brown in
Ferguson. During Beyoncé's performance of the gospel song, "Precious
Lord Take My Hand," the all-male choir behind her raised their hands in
the air. And the musician Prince, who presented the Album of the Year
Award to Beck, said: "Albums still matter. Like books and black lives,
they still matter."

 

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