In the rich tapestry of American history, there exists a powerful anthem that resonates with the struggles, triumphs, and aspirations of the Black community. “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often referred to as the Black National Anthem, has deep roots that intertwine with the African American experience. This blog post explores the origins, significance, implications, usage, and the ongoing debate surrounding this anthem.
The Black National Anthem, also known as “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” is a hymn written by James Weldon Johnson in 1900 and set to music by his brother John Rosamond Johnson . The song was first performed in public in Jacksonville, Florida, by a choir of 500 schoolchildren at the segregated Stanton School to celebrate President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday . The song became popular during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s and was adopted by the NAACP as a rallying cry .
The lyrics of the song are a powerful tribute to the resilience and perseverance of Black Americans in the face of oppression and adversity. The song begins with the lines “Lift every voice and sing, till earth and heaven ring, ring with the harmonies of Liberty” . The song goes on to describe the struggles of Black Americans throughout history, from slavery to the present day, and ends with a call to action: “Shadowed beneath Thy hand, may we forever stand, true to our God, true to our native land” .
The song has become an important symbol of Black identity and culture, and is often performed at church ceremonies, political protests, school graduations, and family gatherings . It has been used as a rallying cry during the Civil Rights Movement and has been performed at protests across the country following the police killing of George Floyd . The song has also been co-opted by Joe Biden for one of his campaign proposals, “Lift Every Voice: The Biden Plan For Black America” .
Despite its significance, the song is not widely known outside of the Black community and is not used as a national anthem. However, it has been performed before NFL games and other public events as a way to acknowledge and celebrate Black culture and history .
In conclusion, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” is a powerful hymn that has become an important symbol of Black identity and culture. Its lyrics pay tribute to the struggles and perseverance of Black Americans throughout history, and it has been used as a rallying cry during the Civil Rights Movement and beyond. While it is not widely known outside of the Black community, it remains an important part of American history and culture.
Here are the full lyrics of “Lift Every Voice and Sing”:
LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING LYRICS
Lift every voice and sing,
‘Til earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the list’ning skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on ’til victory is won.
Stony the road we trod,
Bitter the chastening rod,
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat,
Have not our weary feet
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears has been watered,
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,
Out from the gloomy past,
‘Til now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.
God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who has brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who has by Thy might
Led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee,
our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;
Shadowed beneath Thy hand,
May we forever stand,
True to our God,
True to our native land.
