Bandcamp announce donation of 100% of profit shares for 24 hours to support racial justice

On Monday (June 1), music streaming and purchasing website Bandcamp announced that on June 19, they will donate 100% of their profits from purchases to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

In a statement on their website, the platform's co-founder Ethan Diamond said:“The recent killings of George Floyd, Tony McDade, Sean Reed, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and the ongoing state-sanctioned violence against black people in the US and around the world are horrific tragedies.

“We stand with those rightfully demanding justice, equality, and change, and people of color everywhere who live with racism every single day, including many of our fellow employees and artists and fans in the Bandcamp community.”

The date itself marks Juneteenth, the day African American slaves were officially emancipated from enslavers in 1865. The site have announced that this share waive will continue for "every Juneteenth hereafter." They also announced that they will be allocating an extra $30, 000 per year (€26, 743.80) to partner with organisations fighting for racial justice and "create opportunities for people of colour."

Bandcamp typically take fifteen per cent of shares from audio sales and ten per cent from merchandise. This Friday, June 5 will be the fourth day they have waived profit shares to support musicians who have been negatively affected by the Coronavirus.