The Black National Anthem: A Song of Faith
As we celebrate the 250th birthday of this country, it is important to remember the history of Africans Americans and the role our ancestors played in the development of this country on all levels. This should be an opportunity for all Americans to learn about an important part of African American history. One of the songs that have told the story of our struggle and the hope for the future is the Black National Anthem. The author of the Black National Anthem was James Weldon Johnson.
The original title is Lift Every Voice and Sing. Johnson was an author, lawyer, diplomat, civil rights leader and the first African American professor at New York University in 1934. James Weldon Johnson wrote the lyrics for the song and his brother J. Rosamond Johnson wrote the music. They both made contributions to music on Broadway. In his biography he recalled that a group of young men in Jacksonville, Florida arranged to celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s birthday in 1900. A choir of 500 children sang it in honor of President Lincoln.
The song became very popular and African Americans sang it at churches, schools, and at various community events. The song reflected the African American struggle for freedom tracing our history from enslavement, the Jim Crow era, segregation, to the civil rights era. We continue to sing it today as a reminder of our journey to freedom. Through it all African Americans retained faith and hope that one day equality would be achieved.
Today, we honor James Weldon Johnson and his brother for this powerful song. The words are a powerful reminder of the Black experience in America. The following is an excerpt of the Black National Anthem that continue to give us hope: “Lift Every Voice and Sing, Till earth and heaven ring with the harmonies of Liberty, Let our rejoicing rise, high as the list’ning skies, let it resound as 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 till victory is won.”