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After John Legend and Common‘s powerful rendition of “Glory,” there was no way they weren’t going to win for Best Original Song. As expected, they duo nabbed the coveted honor at the 87th annual Academy Awards on Sunday night (Feb. 22).
The pair dedicated the Oscars to the strives of the Civil Rights Movement, which is the basis of their Oscar-nominated film, Selma.
Common was as poetic as ever with his moving speech. “This bridge was built on hope, welded by compassion and elevated by love of all human beings,” he said. “This is for the kid from the South Side of Chicago to those in France standing up for freedom of expression to those in Hong Kong protesting for democracy.”
Legend added on to Common’s speech with some insightful words of his own. “Nina Simone said it’s an artist duty to reflect the times we’re in,” he said. “Selma is now because the struggle for justice is right now. We live in the most incarcerated country in the world. There are more black men under correctional control today than there were in slavery in 1850.”
Octavia Spencer also gave an interesting tidbit as she introduced Legend and Common before their performance. Fourty-seven years ago, the Academy Awards were postponed because of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. This year proved the story of his struggles are still very present in American consciousness.
Congrats to John Legend and Common on their well-deserved Oscar win for Best Original Song.
Watch John Legend’s Acceptance Speech at the 2015 Oscars
