Singer John Legend arrives at the Black Scranton Project’s Center for Arts and Culture in Scranton to campaign for Kamala Harris Nov. 3, 2024 (Photo by Pat Abdalla for the Capital-Star)
Before he filled his home with Emmy, Tony, Grammy and Academy awards, John Legend spent nine years as the music director at Bethel AME in downtown Scranton.
The former “World’s Sexiest Man” and “All of Me” singer returned Sunday afternoon, visiting the Black Scranton Project’s Center for Arts and Culture for a get-out-the-vote effort, urging people to support Democratic Party nominee Kamala Harris.
“I had a wonderful morning at Bethel AME church and it was so good to be back at that church and among so many people that I’ve known for a long time,” he said. “I was telling them today that the first time I visited Scranton, I was 16 years old. I’m 45 now, so it’s been a long time. My relationship with Scranton has been 29 years, and I’m so grateful for everyone in this community who welcomed me and helped me out.”
He mentioned that the church bought him his Honda Accord while he commuted on weekends to Scranton from Philadelphia and New York.
“This city has shown me so much love and has always welcomed me and taken good care of me,” he said. Legend campaigned for Harris in Philadelphia last week, appearing with Bruce Springsteen and former President Barack Obama.
Sabrina Guzman was excited to hear Legend talk. While she is the vice president of a local community group, Giving Back to the Community, Guzman has never voted.
She said she plans on voting for Harris because they have the same values.
“She is level-headed,” Guzman said. “She isn’t arrogant.”
Guzman wasn’t the only person to find inspiration in Legend’s message.
While she can’t yet vote, 17-year-old Ella Cohen enjoyed seeing Legend in person.
“I thought it was really inspiring to have someone with connections to Scranton come back and rally the vote,” she said. “We might be a small city, but everybody matters.”
Glynis Johns, the founder of the Black Scranton Project, said Legends is just one example of the importance of Black people in Scranton’s history.
“John Legend is back with us not just as a guest but as family. He is part of Black Scranton from the very beginning,” she said. “Not just John Legend, but there are so many incredible people that are so important to the city of Scranton and nobody even thinks that black people live here. We’ve been here for generations. We’ve been foundational.”
Among the pictures and stories about famous Black residents at the Center, are several portraits of a young John Legend playing music in the area.
Johns told the crowd about how important it is to get out to vote, that people have fought for it for decades. She mentioned the Black community in Scranton in the early 1900s.
“If they could do that over a century ago, in a world much tougher than today’s, there’s no reason we can’t just turn out now. Voting isn’t just a right, it’s a responsibility that we carry for those who came before us. It’s an opportunity to build a future that we dreamed of.”
Legend touched on a similar idea during his speech.
“I believe politics matters because if you elect someone who goes to work every day thinking about your needs, if you elect someone who goes to work every day wondering how they can make sure your prescription drugs are more affordable, your healthcare is more affordable, your health care is more affordable, your housing is more affordable, and if you go to the polls to pick someone who will do that for you and for your family and your community, you can make a difference in your life and the lives of the people around you,” he said. “And we have the opportunity on Tuesday in Pennsylvania to make history.
I’m excited for this opportunity.”