%u201CLift Every Voice and Sing%u201D is often referred to as the Black national anthem in the United States. It is a hymn written as a poem by James Weldon Johnson in 1900 and set to music by his brother J. Rosamond Johnson, for the anniversary of Abraham Lincon%u2019s birthday in 1905. Though the song is unknown to some Americans and essential to others.
Initially, it was written as a poem celebrating Abraham Lincon%u2019s birthday but was quickly embraced as a powerful symbol of the mix of struggle and enduring hope for Black people in the US. The song was first performed in 1900 with famous renditions delivered by the likes of Ray Charles and Beyonce.
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In 1923, the male gospel group Manhattan Harmony Four recorded the song “Lift Every Voice and Sing (National Negro Anthem)”. The song was added to the National Recording Registry in 2016. It was also featured in the film Keep Punching in 1939. It was introduced to many by Beyonce when she sang it at Coachella two years ago.
The Black anthem has long been the pillar of the Black culture and life, singing at church ceremonies, political protests, school graduations, and family gatherings. The song is the prayer of thanksgiving for faithfulness and freedom, it is featured in 39 different Christian hymnals and is sung across North America in church.
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Google played a spoken word version of the song in a Google Doodle in 2020 celebrating the Juneteeth holiday. The National Football League (NFL) announce on July 2, 2020, that the song would be played or performed live before the national anthem during the entirety of Week 1 of the 2020 regular season.
