Bandcamp announces Juneteenth fundraiser to raise money for racial justice

Bandcamp is due to run its second annual fundraiser in support of racial justice this week.

‘Juneteenth’ is a national holiday on June 19 in the US celebrating the end of slavery, raising awareness and providing education around the annual commemorations.

In support of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Bandcamp will give 100% of its sales shares to the organisation on June 18, which prioritises racial justice through litigation, advocacy, and public education.

“We held our first Juneteenth fundraiser last year in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and the long-standing structural oppression, state-sanctioned violence, and daily racism faced by Black people and people of colour, including many of our fellow employees and artists in the Bandcamp community,” said Bandcamp CEO Ethan Diamond.

Diamond also stated that the fundraiser is part of a larger mission in tackling racial equality, with Bandcamp also supporting artists, creating products, and providing education via its podcast and radio shows.

“We’ve been inspired by and joined in the growing call for racial justice and equity, and have celebrated the many new reforms, practices, and policies that bring us closer to a world where Black people and people of colour can thrive without fear of violence and oppression.”

The company, which has now been running for almost 15 years, waived its sales shares for a day in March last year in support of musicians struggling through the pandemic. The scheme ran through nine Fridays in 2020, raising $40 million for artists on the platform.

Find out more about the Juneteenth Bandcamp fundraiser here, and support the cause next Friday from midnight to midnight Pacific time.