Stevie Wonder Takes Knee During Global Citizen Festival Set

Singer shows solidarity with black athletes who kneel during National Anthem.

September 24, 2017 12:20 pm
Stevie Wonder and Kwame Morris perform onstage during the 2017 Global Citizen Festival: For Freedom. For Justice. For All. in Central Park on September 23, 2017 in New York City.  (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Global Citizen)
Stevie Wonder and Kwame Morris perform onstage during the 2017 Global Citizen Festival: For Freedom. For Justice. For All. in Central Park on September 23, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Global Citizen)

Now Stevie Wonder is getting into the act.

The 67-year-old blind R&B legend kneeled down on stage during his set at the Global Citizen Festival in New York City Saturday night in apparent solidarity with the black professional athletes who are taking a knee during the National Anthem in protest of the racial divide in the country.

Though Wonder did not play the Star-Spangled Banner during his gesture, the message was clear during a day when President Trump continued his social media campaign against the NFL for not punishing the protesters.

“Tonight, I’m taking a knee for America,” Wonder told the crowd. “But not just one knee, I’m taking both knees. Both knees in prayer for our planet, our future, our leaders of the world and our globe.”

During the set, in which Wonder performed several songs with R&B singer Pharrell Williams, the “Superstition” singer took breaks to continue sermonizing.

“Our global brothers and sisters, I didn’t come here to preach, but I’m telling you: Our spirits must be in the right place,” Wonder said. “Whenever you need to interrupt hate, stand down bigotry, condemn sexism and find love for all of our global brothers and sisters everyday.”

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