The song “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” known as the “Black National Anthem,” has gained prominence at significant sporting events since 2020, a tradition that will continue with the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX. According to CBS News, Grammy Award-winning artist Ledisi is set to perform the song, which has held considerable meaning for over a century. As a 15-time Grammy nominee with a win for Best Traditional R&B Performance for ‘Anything For You,’ Ledisi’s performances span venues such as The White House, Carnegie Hall, and the Kennedy Center, as reported by CBS News.
Featured in 42 different Christian hymnals, the song reflects themes from the biblical Exodus, symbolizing the transition from bondage to liberation and the quest for the “promised land.” Its relevance has only deepened within the Black community, especially in the wake of George Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Originally penned as a poem in 1899 by James Weldon Johnson to commemorate President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, the work mirrors Johnson’s dedication as an author, educator, lawyer, and civil rights activist, celebrating Lincoln’s enduring legacy.
“Lift Every Voice and Sing” has been a mainstay at the last three Super Bowls—Alicia Keys presented a recorded version in 2021, Mary Mary performed it outside SoFi Stadium during Super Bowl LVI, and Andra Day sang it live before last year’s game. Beyond the Super Bowl, it has also graced other prominent NFL events, including the 2021 NFL Draft and last year’s season opener. While many fans celebrate the song for its importance to a marginalized group, others have expressed outrage, insisting that only “The Star-Spangled Banner” should be sung.
“The Black “National Anthem” is being played at the Super Bowl. And with that, I’ve decided I won’t be watching. Black Americans ARE Americans. America has ONE National Anthem. The Black one is meant to divide,” wrote one user on X. Another expressed similar sentiments, stating, “the black national anthem is very divisive. THE National Anthem is for all people.”
Concerns about division were echoed by others on social media. “Trace Gallagher… the Superbowl has announced that it will be playing the “black national anthem”—this is very divisive! There is One National Anthem, for One Nation! This sends the wrong signal to every race/nationality in our Country. I do not like this idea at all!” another conservative commented on X. “We all would be better if we all lived together under one anthem. Stop trying to separate us,” added another user.
It’s noteworthy that “The Star-Spangled Banner” will also be part of the event, with New Orleans native Jon Batiste slated to deliver his version of the national anthem.
