Gospel singer Donnie McClurkin was banned Saturday from performing at the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial concert because of his stance on homosexuality.
The Washington Post reported the Grammy-winning singer was set to perform for the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, but a handful of gay rights activists objected ahead of the event. McClurkin has testified that God delivered him from being gay.
A spokeswoman for Mayor Vincent Gray said the singer decided not to perform because the purpose of the event was to bring people together.
But in a video statement, McClurkin said the mayor’s office “uninvited” him.
“[It’s] quite unfortunate that in today, a black man—a black artist—is uninvited from a civil rights movement depicting the love, the unity, the peace, the tolerance,” he said.
“These are bully tactics simply because of stances that I took, never ever demeaning, never ever derogatorily addressing any lifestyle,” he said. “But this is a civil rights infringement situation.”
McClurkin said pastors who spoke against the mayor’s move were ignored. He has asked for prayer as he plans to fight the action against him.
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