What Is the Black National Anthem?
Lift Every Voice and Sing is widely known as the
Black National Anthem. The song holds a special
place in African American history because its words speak to
struggle, perseverance, faith, freedom and hope.
It is not the official national anthem of the United States.
Rather, the name Black National Anthem reflects
the song's deep historical and cultural significance to generations
of Black Americans.
Over more than a century, Lift Every Voice and Sing has
been heard in schools, churches, civil rights gatherings,
community celebrations, commemorations and other occasions where
people come together to remember the past while looking toward
the future.
Why Is Lift Every Voice and Sing Called the Black National Anthem?
The importance of Lift Every Voice and Sing grew far
beyond the school program for which it was originally written.
Its message resonated with Black Americans living through
segregation, discrimination and the continuing struggle for
equality.
The song acknowledges hardship without allowing hardship to be
the end of the story. Its message moves toward perseverance,
faith, liberty and hope.
That combination helped make the song meaningful across
generations and is one reason Lift Every Voice and Sing
became widely known as the Black National Anthem.
Who Wrote Lift Every Voice and Sing?
James Weldon Johnson wrote the words to
Lift Every Voice and Sing. His brother,
John Rosamond Johnson, composed the music.
James Weldon Johnson was an educator, writer, lawyer, diplomat
and civil rights leader. He later became a prominent leader of
the NAACP.
John Rosamond Johnson was a composer and musician whose music
transformed his brother's words into the song that would
eventually become known across the country.
When Was Lift Every Voice and Sing First Performed?
Lift Every Voice and Sing was first publicly performed
in 1900 in Jacksonville, Florida.
A choir of approximately 500 schoolchildren at
the segregated Stanton School performed the song as part of a
celebration of President Abraham Lincoln's birthday.
What began as music for a school celebration would eventually
grow into one of the most recognized songs associated with
African American history.
A song that grew beyond its original occasion:
Lift Every Voice and Sing began with a school
performance in Jacksonville, Florida. Its message traveled far
beyond that first audience and became part of Black cultural,
religious and civil rights traditions.
Why Was Lift Every Voice and Sing Called the Negro National Anthem?
Before the phrase Black National Anthem became
common, Lift Every Voice and Sing was historically
referred to as the Negro National Anthem.
The word “Negro” was commonly used during that period in the
names of Black organizations, publications and institutions.
Today, the historical term helps explain how the song was
described and understood during an earlier period of American
history.
Historical records also used related language. Early published
music identified Lift Every Voice and Sing as a
national hymn for the colored people of America,
and later editions described it as a
National Negro hymn.
Today, people searching for the
Negro National Anthem,
Black National Anthem or
Lift Every Voice and Sing are generally looking
for this same historic song.
Lift Every Voice and Sing and the NAACP
The growth of the song was also closely connected with the
NAACP. James Weldon Johnson became an important
leader within the organization, and the NAACP adopted
Lift Every Voice and Sing.
As the song became more widely known, it developed an enduring
association with the struggle for civil rights and equality.
It was also prominently used during the Civil Rights Movement
of the 1950s and 1960s.
What Is the Meaning of Lift Every Voice and Sing?
Part of the power of Lift Every Voice and Sing comes
from the way it holds sorrow and hope together.
The song remembers a difficult past and recognizes the suffering
endured by generations before. At the same time, its message
looks forward toward liberty, perseverance, faith and a better
future.
That movement from suffering toward hope helps explain why the
song has remained meaningful for so long.
It can be heard as remembrance of what came before, recognition
of the distance traveled, and encouragement to continue moving
forward.
Lift Every Voice and Sing and the History of Slavery
The history surrounding Lift Every Voice and Sing
cannot be separated from the broader African American experience
that preceded its creation.
When the song was first performed in 1900, slavery in the United
States had ended only a few generations earlier. Black Americans
were also living under segregation and facing continuing racial
discrimination and violence.
That history gives additional meaning to the song's themes of
hardship, perseverance, freedom and hope.
The musical presentation by Tyese featuring
vocals by April Cole, shown above, uses imagery
of slavery to place the music within that larger historical
journey.
The presentation does not rely on graphic violence. Instead, the
imagery communicates the loss of freedom, dehumanization and
cruelty experienced by enslaved people while the music points
toward perseverance, dignity and hope.
Why Lift Every Voice and Sing Still Matters
More than a century after its first public performance,
Lift Every Voice and Sing continues to be performed
and remembered.
Its history belongs to a particular African American experience,
but the emotions expressed through the music — remembrance,
perseverance, faith, dignity and hope — help explain its lasting
power.
For some listeners, the song is connected with family and
community tradition. For others, it is associated with church,
school, Black history programs or civil rights commemorations.
Others may encounter it for the first time after hearing the
phrase Black National Anthem and wanting to
understand what that name means.
Lift Every Voice and Sing — Performed and Arranged by Tyese
The musical presentation featured on this page was
performed and arranged by Tyese and features
the vocal performance of April Cole.
The combination of music and historical imagery was created to
encourage listeners not only to hear the song, but also to
reflect on the history that gives its message such significance.
Download the Lift Every Voice and Sing Instrumental
Need the music without vocals for a ceremony, church service,
school program, choir, community event or special presentation?
The Lift Every Voice and Sing Instrumental Tribute
Edition is performed and arranged by Tyese and is
available as an MP3 or WAV download.
Listen to and download the instrumental →
Frequently Asked Questions About the Black National Anthem
What is the Black National Anthem?
Lift Every Voice and Sing is widely known as the
Black National Anthem because of its historical and cultural
importance within the African American community.
Is Lift Every Voice and Sing the Black National Anthem?
Lift Every Voice and Sing is commonly called the
Black National Anthem. The name describes its cultural and
historical significance; it is not the official national
anthem of the United States.
What is the Negro National Anthem?
Lift Every Voice and Sing was historically known as
the Negro National Anthem. The terminology reflects the period
in which the song became nationally recognized.
Who wrote the Black National Anthem?
James Weldon Johnson wrote the words to
Lift Every Voice and Sing, and his brother
John Rosamond Johnson composed the music.
When was Lift Every Voice and Sing written?
The song originated around the turn of the twentieth century
and was first publicly performed in 1900 by schoolchildren in
Jacksonville, Florida.
Where was Lift Every Voice and Sing first performed?
Its first public performance took place at the segregated
Stanton School in Jacksonville, Florida, as part of a
celebration of Abraham Lincoln's birthday.
Who performs the version on this page?
The musical presentation on this page was performed and
arranged by Tyese and features vocals by
April Cole.
Is there a Lift Every Voice and Sing instrumental download?
Yes. KissingSongs.com offers an instrumental tribute edition
performed and arranged by Tyese in MP3 and WAV formats for
ceremonies, worship services, schools, community programs and
other appropriate presentations.
