Findings
| When | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1980-1986 | Wonder released Happy Birthday, a song specifically written to campaign for a national holiday honouring Martin Luther King Jr. He subsequently spearheaded a public campaign, working with Coretta Scott King and civil-rights organisations. Congress passed the legislation in 1983, and the first federal Martin Luther King Jr. Day was celebrated in 1986. Wonder's music and campaigning played a major role in building public support. | Source |
| Wonder has campaigned for the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities. His work has included advocating for the Marrakesh Treaty, which improves access to published works for blind and visually impaired people. | Source | |
| 1985 | Wonder was a prominent international opponent of South African apartheid. In 1985, he dedicated his Academy Award to Nelson Mandela, prompting the South African government to ban his music. He refused lucrative offers to perform in apartheid-era South Africa and was arrested during an anti-apartheid protest outside the South African Embassy in Washington, D.C., in February 1985. He also released "It's Wrong (Apartheid)" and performed at anti-apartheid events. | Source |
| 1985 | Wonder has repeatedly contributed music and performances to charitable fundraising. Notable examples include "We Are the World", which raised funds for famine relief in Africa, and "That's What Friends Are For", whose proceeds supported AIDS research and prevention. | Source |
| 2005 | Wonder performed at Live 8, an international series of concerts intended to mobilise public pressure for action against extreme poverty in Africa. | Source |
| 2020 | Wonder released Can't Put It in the Hands of Fate, addressing systemic racism, police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement. | Source |
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