#Lift Every Voice and Sing

[newyorkthegoldenage]

One of the artists commissioned to create a new work for the 1939-40 World's Fair was the sculptor Augusta Savage. A leading member of the Harlem Renaissance, she was the only black woman to be so honored.

Her piece, intended to celebrate African-Americans’ contributions to music, showed a kneeling black man holding a bar of music and 12 black chorus singers representing strings on a harp, the sounding board of which was no less than the hand of God. She called it Lift Every Voice and Sing, a nod to a poem by her friend James Weldon Johnson that was later set to music and adopted as the black "national anthem" by the NAACP.

The work stood 16 feet tall and was made of plaster that had been lacquered to look like black basalt. She was paid $360 for it (around $8,000 in today's dollars) and it was placed in the courtyard of the Contemporary Arts Building, near one of the Fair’s gates. Fair officials renamed it The Harp, which Savage reportedly hated. Small metal replicas were sold as souvenirs, and images of it were reproduced on postcards.

When the Fair ended, Savage had no money to remove and store her sculpture, or to cast the large piece in bronze, as she had with other, smaller works. So, like all the other "temporary" artwork created for the Fair, it was destroyed by a bulldozer.

In 2017, a NY Times op-ed piece by the filmmaker Aviva Kempner proposed that a full-size replica of the sculpture be created and placed in front of the National Museum of African-American History & Culture in Washington. So far, there has been no movement towards carrying that idea out.

Photos: top and center, NYPL. Bottom, illustration from the book Harlem: Negro Metropolis (E.P. Dutton 1940) via The Wolfsonian–FIU.

[padawan-historian]

"There is reason, after all, that some people wish to colonize the moon, and others dance before it as an ancient friend."

[odinsblog]

Racists be like, “Please stop singing the non-racist anthem! Can’t we just go back to the quietly racist anthem?”

Although “The Star-Spangled Banner” and all of its verses were immediately famous, Key’s overt racism prevented it from becoming the national anthem while he was alive, Morley wrote. There was no official anthem, and many people chose to sing other songs, like “My Country ‘Tis of Thee.”


Key’s anthem gained popularity over time, particularly among post-Reconstruction White Southerners and the military. In the early 20th Century, all but the first verse were cut — not for their racism, but for their anti-British bent. The United Kingdom was by then an ally.

After the misery of World War I, the lyrics were again controversial for their violence. But groups like the United Daughters of the Confederacy fought back, pushing for the song to be made the official national anthem. In 1931, President Herbert Hoover made it so.


“The elevation of the banner from popular song to official national anthem was a neo-Confederate political victory, and it was celebrated as such,” Morley wrote. “When supporters threw a victory parade in Baltimore in June 1931, the march was led by a color guard hoisting the Confederate flag.”

[theconcealedweapon]

When someone sings America The Beautiful or My Country 'Tis Of Thee, they're never met with angry boos from people shouting "that's not our national anthem".

Somehow, that response is reserved specifically for Lift Every Voice And Sing.

I wonder what the difference is.

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Representative Lauren Boebert, a Colorado Republican, took to Twitter on Sunday afternoon to complain about the Black National Anthem being performed during the Super Bowl.

Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph is slated to perform "Lift Every Voice and Sing," colloquially known as the Black National Anthem, ahead of the Sunday night football game. The song, written more than 100 years ago, emerged as a rallying cry during the civil rights movement, according to the NAACP. The NFL began including the song in its games following the Black Lives Matter protests that occurred during the summer of 2020, but the move has faced backlash from some conservatives.

Boebert became the latest prominent Republican to criticize the National Football League (NFL) over the song's inclusion, which will be performed alongside the "Star-Spangled Banner" and "America the Beautiful." The GOP lawmaker accused the league of attempting to "divide" Americans by including the Black National Anthem in the performance lineup.

"America only has ONE NATIONAL ANTHEM," she tweeted. "Why is the NFL trying to divide us by playing multiple!? Do football, not wokeness."

Critics argued, however, that Boebert's tweet was more divisive than the inclusion of the performance. Condé Nast editor Luke Zaleski accused Boebert of "gaslighting" viewers.

"The gaslighting is the fact that she's using the concept of unity to divide. She's doing what she's accusing the NFL of. It's a fake grievance contrived to irk and produce the effect of further fracturing society," Zaleski tweeted.

"It's black history month. The song is meaningful to African Americans. It's also a historic game with 2 black quarterbacks, the first time ever. Get over yourself and your ridiculous white grievances. If you don't like it, don't watch. Simple," another Twitter user tweeted on Sunday in response to Boebert.

Other conservatives have previously criticized the NFL over the song. In 2021, Fox News host Sean Hannity decried a performance as an attempt to "inject politics into sports." Several conservative pundits also complained when Vanessa Williams performed the song during a PBS Fourth of July special that same year.

WHAT IS THE BLACK NATIONAL ANTHEM?

NAACP leader James Weldon Smith first wrote "Lift Every Voice and Sing" in 1900. His brother, John Rosamond Johnson, composed the music for its lyrics, according to the NAACP.

The song was first performed by students at a segregated school in Jacksonville, Florida, to celebrate the birthday of President Abraham Lincoln, who presided over the emancipation of slaves during the American Civil War, according to the NAACP.

The song became a landmark of African American culture. According to Time magazine, it was performed during meetings in which civil rights leaders planned the Montgomery Bus Boycott and has been quoted in speeches by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Following the 2020 racial protests after the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police, the NFL sought to confront what many players have described as systemic racism following years of protests.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told The New York Times in 2021 that the inclusion of the song is "an opportunity to highlight messages that are important to the league, players and personnel and our communities."

"We've seen tremendous work done by our players to make an impact, and we can increase that through the high-visibility platform that the NFL provides," he said.

Newsweek reached out to Boebert's press office for further comment.

[mos-twin-mattress]

Lift Every Voice and SING

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.

Written by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson in 1900, this poem is often regarded as "The Black National Anthem"

His brother, John Rosamond Johnson (1873-1954), composed the music

Now more than ever I find myself listening to and humming this song.

I may no longer believe in God to the extent I did growing up, but I do believe that we will be lead from this dark place, it might be a long hard road yet to trod, but we will do it, we WILL make it through!

Our voices WILL be heard!

[alliterative-endlessknot]

To mark #Juneteenth, since it's also #BlackMusicMonth, here's one of our videos that talks about Black history, the aftermath of slavery, and some of the many musical accomplishments of Black people in the US.

[13mtm80]

[CC] ASL Performances at the Super Bowl 2023

Justina Miles with Sheryl Lee Ralph

Colin Denny with Babyface & Troy Kotsur with Chris Stapleton

[negrolicity]

Watch "Lift Every Voice And Sing (feat. Alvin Chea of Take 6)" on YouTube

[panafrocore]

The Origin and Impact of "Lift Every Voice and Sing"

“Lift Every Voice and Sing” holds a significant place in American history as a powerful hymn with lyrics penned by James Weldon Johnson and music composed by his brother, J. Rosamond Johnson. This deeply meaningful composition emerged from the context of Black Americans in the late 19th century, serving as a prayer of gratitude to God and a plea for faithfulness and freedom. Its poignant imagery…

[smcclintonjr]

Black History Month 2024: Under Review

It appears that the 98th Edition of Black History Month is over. But guess what? Like years past the occasion is once a year, but the references to Black History in general will continue to tell the truth, expose lies, and expose those who feel that it should not be taught. All the time, folks still say, well, Black History is American History……” That is a lie. It is a lie just to make those feel…

[tjeromebaker]

The Black National Anthem: Lift Every Voice And Sing by James Weldon Johnson #BlackHistoryMonth

Here is the poem that inspired the Anthem: James Weldon Johnson, 1871 –1938 Source: Poets.org Read poems by James Weldon Johnson Photo credit: Carl Van Vechten James Weldon Johnson was born on June 17, 1871, in Jacksonville, Florida. Johnson was the eldest son of James Johnson, Sr., a head waiter at a hotel, and Helen Louise (née Dillet), a schoolteacher at the Stanton Preparatory School in…

[theconcealedweapon]

I agree 100%. There's only one national anthem, and it's disrespectful to believe otherwise.

And that's why I'm sick of all those garbage songs like God Bless America, My Country 'Tis Of Thee, America The Beautiful, and You're A Grand Old Flag.

I was fuming when I heard Post Malone sing America The Beautiful at the Super Bowl. I'm boycotting the NFL and never listening to Post Malone's music ever again.

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene was ridiculed after she praised country star Chris Stapleton’s Super Bowl performance for supposedly being anti-woke, not realising he's a supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Ms. Greene praised the singer’s performance while slamming the rest of the pre-game events – Sheryl Lee Ralph sang "Lift Every Voice and Sing," often referred to as the Black national anthem, and a team of all-female pilots performed a Navy flyover.

“Chris Stapleton just sang the most beautiful national anthem at the Super Bowl. But we could have gone without the rest of the wokeness,” she tweeted after the singer performed The Star-Spangled Banner ahead of the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night.

Ms. Greene appeared to be unaware of Mr Stapleton’s support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Following the 25 May 2020 murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, Mr. Stapleton appeared on CBS This Morning, saying “do I think Black lives matter? Absolutely ... I don’t know how you could think they don’t”.

“There’s a very broad awakening that’s come about and it’s time for me to listen. It’s time for other folks to listen,” he said at the time. “The country that I thought we were living in was a myth.”

Ms. Greene was subsequently mocked for her lack of understanding, with Twitter users noting Mr. Stapleton’s progressive views, and others asked why Ms. Greene appeared to be bothered by an all-female pilot team. “Chris Stapleton is ‘woke’ as f***, you shrieking harridan,” Dennis Perkins wrote, linking to a country music outlet outlining Mr. Stapleton’s support for the movement.

“MTG is here revealing that when they say ‘woke’ it means they don’t want to see or hear anything about non-white culture,” one Twitter user said.

“Please say what you mean: You could’ve done without the black people,” another added.

“Like the 1st ever all-woman Navy flyover. That’s what you call woke??” a third said.

“.@mtgreene‘s Definition of Woke: A bunch of scary black people singing, dancing, playing football and sitting in Fox sportscaster chairs...” Andy Ostroy wrote.

“Witness when racism never takes a day off. Neanderthals are gonna Neanderthal. The #Wokeness this shitgibbon is referring to is @thesherylralph and @babyface performing. How DARE they show up all black and excellent huh? This thing is a hateful gargoyle,” Yvette Nicole Brown said.

Josef Adalian said, “she means the Black man and woman who sang just before him, and the ASL interpreters who signed the three songs” in response to Ms. Greene’s tweet.

“You clearly know nothing about Chris Stapleton. 100% chance he hates you and he’s a ‘woke’ Black Lives Matter supporter,” one account holder said.

The Independent has reached out to the office of Ms. Greene for comment.

[cozyaliensuperstar7]

Andra Day 👑