Bruce Springsteen Receives Harry Belafonte Justice Award

Bruce Springsteen was honored with the Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award on Saturday, June 13, during a special ceremony at the Tribeca Festival in New York City. The event, held at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center, featured tributes and performances from fellow artists Robert De Niro, Bono, and Patti Smith.

Springsteen accepted the award humbly, dedicating it to the citizens of Minneapolis, Portland, and Los Angeles for what he described as standing against federal overreach. During a conversation with Bono, who presented the award, Springsteen said he felt a little embarrassed to receive the honor, calling himself at best a concerned citizen. He reflected on America as a sacred argument born in disagreement, but noted that recognizing each other’s common humanity and dignity is in short supply at the moment.

Robert De Niro, a co-founder of the Tribeca Festival, introduced Springsteen with pointed remarks. He praised Springsteen as a man who knows how to use his voice to give voice to the powerless and to lead the resistance. De Niro said the singer is fearless and direct, naming Donald J. Trump and his feckless enablers as the problem, framing the issue as...