Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Anthony McGill: Raising Thousands for The Equal Justice Initiative Through New #TakeTwoKnees Challenge


Clarinetist Anthony McGill Performs
"America (My Country, 'Tis of Thee)"
to a voice recording by Dr. Thomas Holt of the University of Chicago
#TakeTwoKnees

Clarinetist Anthony McGill, the first African American Principal Player of the New York Philharmonic, has issued a follow-up #TakeTwoKnees challenge, which is already raising thousands of dollars for the Equal Justice Initiative.

The musician will donate $5,000 to the Equal Justice Initiative, and he will add another $50 for every new #TakeTwoKnees tribute he sees (up to $10,000 total) until his birthday on July 17.

In a new Facebook post and an accompanying video in which Mr. McGill performs "America (My Country, 'Tis of Thee)" to a voice-over recorded by Dr. Thomas Holt, James Westfall Thompson Professor of American and African American History at the University of Chicago, Mr. McGill encouraged people to "[p]lease post something meaningful to you with the hashtag #TakeTwoKnees."

The full text of the post is available here.

In late May, Mr. McGill posted a powerful musical protest video urging people to #TakeTwoKnees in demonstration against the death of George Floyd and historic racial injustice. His video went viral, and hundreds of artists and citizens amplified and responded to the protest with their own videos using the hashtag #TakeTwoKnees.

Mr. McGill's orginal video, and more details about it, follow.


AFRICAN AMERICAN
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC PRINCIPAL CLARINETIST
ANTHONY McGILL
LEADS SURGING MUSICAL DEMONSTRATION
#TakeTwoKnees
IN PROTEST OF THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD

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