BET Awards: A Night of Political Oratory and Powerful Music

BET Awards: A Night of Political Oratory and Powerful Music
Actor Jesse Williams attends the 2016 BET Awards at the Microsoft Theater on June 26, 2016, in Los Angeles. Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
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A night to celebrate black entertainers was also a night of political and social activism at this year’s BET Awards. 

The opening ceremony featured a surprise performance from Beyonce and her back-up dancers, who marched into the theater to Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Beyonce then performed—alongside rapper Kendrick Lamar—a powerful rendition of “Freedom.”

Prior to the introduction of the night’s hosts—Tracee Ellis Ross and Anthony Anderson—actor Terrence Jenkins made a plea for viewers to “vote smart.”

“From the U.K. separating from the European Union to the domestic terrorism that’s taking place in our own back yard, now more than ever it’s important to realize that your vote is your voice,” Jenkins said, according to Entertainment Week. “In the U.K., their vote ended in a Brexit, leaving people emotional on both sides of the fence. If we do not vote smart in this upcoming election, trust me guys, we will be feeling the same way. Make sure you’re registered. And stay woke.”

Ross publicly endorsed Hillary Clinton.

Actress Tracee Ellis Ross and singer Maxwell attend the 2016 BET Awards at the Microsoft Theater on June 26, 2016, in Los Angeles. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Actress Tracee Ellis Ross and singer Maxwell attend the 2016 BET Awards at the Microsoft Theater on June 26, 2016, in Los Angeles. Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images