Once upon a time, the black national anthem stood for something. These days, for many, it's out of tune and off key.
Lift EVERY Voice?
By Mark Anthony Neal | TheRoot.com
July 14, 2008--Jazz singer Rene Marie recently courted controversy when she performed at the "State of the City" address by Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. Expected to sing the "Star Spangled Banner," Marie instead broke out into a rendition of "Lift Every Voice and Sing." Some have complained, including Colorado congressman Tom Tancredo, that Marie needlessly made a political statement at an event that didn't warrant as much. But Marie's choice here also raises the question about whether the song, commonly known as the "Negro" or "black" national anthem still holds the political meanings it once did.
"Lift ev'ry voice and sing, 'till Earth and heaven ring/Ring with the harmony of liberty."
James Weldon Johnson, the writer of those lyrics, would probably be surprised that nearly a century after he wrote "Lift Every Voice and Sing" that many still feel compelled to sing it. I'm not sure though that Johnson, one of the founding members of the NAACP and an important literary figure during the Harlem Renaissance would be pleased. The political impulses that motivated Johnson to write the song in the first place seem long removed from the consciousness of those who treat its singing as little more than a compulsory act of racial unity. Clearly, Johnson envisioned much more. Still, the song's title is intriguing. What does it really mean for black communities to sing the same songs-to hear the same melodies, to dance to the same rhythms?
Read the Full Essay @
"Lift ev'ry voice and sing, 'till Earth and heaven ring/Ring with the harmony of liberty."
James Weldon Johnson, the writer of those lyrics, would probably be surprised that nearly a century after he wrote "Lift Every Voice and Sing" that many still feel compelled to sing it. I'm not sure though that Johnson, one of the founding members of the NAACP and an important literary figure during the Harlem Renaissance would be pleased. The political impulses that motivated Johnson to write the song in the first place seem long removed from the consciousness of those who treat its singing as little more than a compulsory act of racial unity. Clearly, Johnson envisioned much more. Still, the song's title is intriguing. What does it really mean for black communities to sing the same songs-to hear the same melodies, to dance to the same rhythms?
Read the Full Essay @
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