With music, dancing and the spoken word, the inaugural Juneteenth concert at the Hollywood Bowl was a rousing celebration of Black culture.
Gospel legend Yolanda Adams opened the show with “Lift Every Voice and Sing” — known as the Black National Anthem. She was followed by Chaka Khan who belted out her hits “Ain’t Nobody” and “I’m Every Woman.”
Thousands of music lovers attended “Juneteenth: A Global Celebration for Freedom” on Sunday night in Los Angeles, with the concert airing live on CNN across the nation.
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As soon as Bell Biv DeVoe hit the stage, just about everyone in the venue rose to their feet and danced along to “Poison.”
Earth Wind & Fire also proved popular with people dancing in the aisles to a medley of the super-group’s hits, including “September.”
“It was the perfect way to mark the holiday,” concert attendee Daryle Glynn Brown told Urban Hollywood 411.
Other acts taking the stage were Amir Sulaiman, Billy Porter, Ne-Yo, the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, D Smoke, Khalid, Lucky Daye, Mickey Guyton, Ne-Yo, Robert Glasper, The Roots, Mary Mary, Anthony Hamilton, Michelle Williams and The Re-Collective Orchestra (a 68-piece all-Black symphony orchestra). It was the first time an all-Black orchestra performed on stage in the Hollywood Bowl’s 100-year history.
The performers were introduced by celebrity presenters, including Tisha Campbell, Michael Ealy, Lil Rel Howery, Leslie Jones, Marsai Martin, Danielle Ponder, Kendrick Sampson, Amanda Seales, Gabourey Sidibe, Algee Smith, and Raven-Symoné.
“I’m glad to see us out celebrating and I love the Bowl,” said Valecia Clayton, a Hollywood Bowl season ticket holder from Downey, California.
Opal Lee, an activist often described as the “grandmother of Juneteenth,” addressed the audience via video. There were also videotaped remarks from President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former first lady Michelle Obama. With abortion rights and voting rights on the line, Obama urged the audience to vote in November.
“Most of the officials on the ballot won’t even be serving in DC. They’ll be serving down the street at your city hall or in your state house, or your school board,” Obama said. “So we can’t sit this one out, because the outcome of these elections have very real consequences on our lives. We’ve seen that over the past few months and over the past few years. But when we vote, we can flex our power.”
She then told the crowd to check their voter registration status at whenweallvote.org and “make sure that your friends, aunties and cousins do the same.”
Check out more of the photos from the event below.
