On Saturday morning, Madonna shared a video about the Fourth of July produced by the Movement 4 Black Lives, drawing attention to the different significance Independence Day has always had for Black Americans. Madonna echoed the last line of the video in her tweet, calling the holiday "a lie ...until we make it otherwise." Her followers had some strong reactions to the clip.
Madonna was one of many stars to share the Movement 4 Black Lives video on Twitter on Saturday morning. It was narrated by Hamilton star Daveed Diggs, reading a powerful script about the legacy of the United States for Black people in America specifically. It pointed out the contradiction of phrases like "all men are created equal," written in a time and place where slavery was openly practiced. Madonna called on her followers to pay attention to the video and spend this Fourth of July in quiet contemplation.
The video was initially released on Thursday afternoon by the Movement 4 Black Lives, a coalition of over 150 activist organization focused on issues that concern Black Americans. It begins with a rhetorical question: "What, to my people, is the Fourth of July?" It was based in part on a speech by Black abolitionist Frederick Douglass in 1852, where he asked: "What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July?"
The video was shared widely all over social media this weekend, though some fans had a specific reaction to seeing it come from Madonna. The pop music icon has a long history of bold statements, not all of which have landed, but many seemed to think that her heart has always been in the right place.
Madonna's attempts to be political have gotten her into hot water at times, though she has often stood by the most outlandish statements she makes. She is also noted for having six children, four of whom are Black, and some fans have mixed feelings on that. The phenomenon of White celebrities adopting children of different races, in general, is a fraught topic.
Still, fans were grateful that Madonna amplified the message of the Movement 4 Black Lives on Saturday without any editorializing of her own. Here's a look at how the video went over on Twitter.