A Brief History of 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' Ahead of the Super Bowl
Andra Dag.
Mat Hayward/Getty Images for The Pāvé GroupMore than a century after “Lift Every Voice and Sing” was adopted as the “Black National Anthem,” Andra Dag will perform it in honor of Super Bowl LVIII.
“Peace and blessings!!! Performing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl, y'all!” Day 39, tweeted last month. Day, who won a Golden Globe for her role as the titular character in The United States vs. Billie Holiday, said she felt “grateful” on the occasion. “Thank you God.”
That same day she said Entertainment tonight that she received a call in November 2023. “I was so nervous, but very excited. Satisfying. And also just an honor. It is an honor to sing the Black National Anthem,” she said.
Five years ago, Beyonce famously included “Lift Every Voice and Sing” in her now historic “Homecoming” set at Coachella, and the song was first recorded ahead of the big game in 2021. But if you're unfamiliar with the song, read on before the match starts. Super Bowl on Sunday, February 11:
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Who wrote 'Lift up every voice and sing?'
James Weldon Johnson was a writer, lawyer, educator, professor and civil rights leader during his lifetime. James wrote the song – first as a poem – in 1899 as principal of the segregated Stanton School in Jacksonville, Florida, per CNN.
His brother, musician and composer John Rosamond Johnson, sets the words to music. John trained at the New England Conservatory of Music and composed and performed stage musicals and operettas.
His portion of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” reflects that training and experience. The composition is written in A flat major, as CNN notes, it is a “popular expressive key commonly seen in spirituals and gospel music.” The melody is also a 'word painting', where the music matches the text. “Lift up every voice and sing” is sung in ascending order, as is “Let all creation rise.” The music also uses a minor key when detailing the darker lyrical material.
When did it become the “black national anthem?”
Two events have been attributed to “Lift Every Voice and Sing” becoming “the black national anthem.” In 1905, the song received the endorsement of noted educator, author, and community leader Booker T. Washington. In 1919, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) adopted it as the official “national anthem” of its people.
“It spoke to the history of the dark journey of African Americans,” said NAACP president Derrick Johnson told NPR in 2018, “and for that matter many Africans in the diaspora [who] I struggled through it to reach a place of hope.”
When did 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' become part of the Super Bowl?
The first performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” prior to the Super Bowl took place in 2021. Alicia Keys performed the song in a pre-recorded segment that aired prior to Super Bowl LV, the championship game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa. Bay Buccaneers.
“As a child attending Jefferson Elementary School in the Trenton, New Jersey public school system, the song was part of our morning ritual. We sang along just before we placed our hands on our hearts and pledged allegiance to the American flag,” Troy Vincent, former NFL player and NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations, said in a statement. “It has encouraged generations of Black people that God will lead us to the promises of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is as relevant in today's environment as it was when it was written.”
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The recording was part of the NFL's Inspire Change initiative following a rise in civil unrest over police brutality and the unchecked killings of Black and other people of color by authorities.
At the time, the league was under fire for its treatment of Colin Kaepernick who refused to stand during “The Star-Spangled Banner” in protest of the way people of color are treated by police. As the public protested how “Black Lives Matter,” the NFL made this change part of its efforts to be more inclusive.
In 2021, Mary Mary performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” In 2022 the multi-talented Sheryl Lee Ralph performed the song.