YouTube has made an announcement that its star-studded virtual commencement event will have a 24-hour delay in respect to lynched George Floyd.
The streaming platform has earlier scheduled to broadcast its “Dear Class of 2020” event, bringing together more than 70 luminaries from across the United States and even overseas, on Saturday (June 6). However, in observance of a memorial service celebrating the life of George Floyd being held in Raeford, North Carolina, on the same day, YouTube will postpone the broadcast for its event by 24 hours, which will now go live on Sunday (June 7). Floyd, who was killed on May 25 while in Minneapolis police custody, was born in North Carolina.
The four-hour-plus commencement event will now kick off on Sunday, June 7, at noon PT. It will feature commencement addresses by erstwhile President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, who will be giving a graduation speech together for the first time. Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher initiative will host the first hour of the YouTube original special (12-1 p.m. PT), which includes a commencement addresses from Mrs. Obama and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter.
President Obama’s keynote address will be featured in the fourth hour of the special (4-5 p.m. PT), which will b followed by Katy Perry leading graduates in the ceremonial tassel-turn at the end of the commencement celebration. In addition, the YouTube special will feature a speech and delivered by 25 members of the Class of 2020 from across the U.S.
The virtual event has been planned to parade dozens of musical performances and heart-pouring messages to the graduates from celebrities.
