Several music companies have pledged their support to the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of the unjust deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Tony McDade. It may come as no surprise that Bandcamp, who has a reputation for putting people above profits, has led the way in creating transparent, actionable plans to support the Black community.
In observance of Juneteenth (popularly known as the day slavery ended in the US), Bandcamp has pledged to donate all proceeds to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund on that day. According to a statement by Bandcamp, the Legal Defense Fund is a "a national organization that has a long history of effectively enacting racial justice and change through litigation, advocacy, and public education."
Aside from donating all revenue to the NAACP on June 19th and every Juneteenth hereafter, the Oakland-based company will also allocate $30,000 annually to "partner with organizations that fight for racial justice and create opportunities for people of color."
The Juneteenth pledge comes on the heels of June 5th's Bandcamp Day, on which the music platform waived all fees, allowing artists to keep 100% of sales. Fans have already raised $11.4 million for artists over the course of two previous Bandcamp Days in March and May.
