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“Lift Every Voice and Sing”

In the United States, millions of schoolchildren begin their mornings with a ritual of reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, and singing the national anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner.” However, millions of African American schoolchildren who grew up during the era of Jim Crow practiced an alternative morning ritual. Instead of singing the traditional national anthem, they sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” This song became known as the “Negro National Anthem.”

The Johnson Brothers and Their Song

Written in 1900 by the brothers James Weldon Johnson (1871–1938) and J. Rosamond Johnson (1873–1954), the Negro National Anthem has endured the test of time and has continued to be one of the most influential African American cultural icons. The history of the Negro National Anthem begins in Jacksonville, Florida, at the turn of the 20th century. At the time that “Lift Every Voice and Sing” was composed, James Weldon Johnson was principal of Stanton Public School in Jacksonville, Florida, and J. Rosamond Johnson was a public school teacher. Both men possessed artistic flair, great poise, and an appreciation for culture, history, and politics. James received a bachelor's degree in 1894 and a master's degree in 1904 from Atlanta University. It was there that he began to explore his love for poetry and was exposed to the impact of organized political activism. His brother John was a gifted musician, who honed his craft at Atlanta University and at the New England Conservatory of Music. He dreamed of writing and producing musical scores on Broadway. In the closeknit Jacksonville community, the Johnson brothers' talent did not go without recognition. Accordingly, when Jacksonville city leaders decided to plan a celebration commemorating the birthday of former president Abraham Lincoln, James Weldon Johnson was asked to make a special contribution to the program, which was held on February 12, 1900.

In his autobiography, James Weldon Johnson recounts the circumstances surrounding the composition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” He was asked to give an address at Jacksonville's planned celebration of Lincoln. He intended to also write a poem as an additional honor to Lincoln. However, as the time for the program drew nearer, James found he could not gather the inspiration to write the poem. In a final attempt to produce a fitting tribute to the former president, James recruited his brother Rosamond to collaborate with him in writing an original song for the assembly. They wrote “Lift Every Voice and Sing” in one night. As James called out and wrote down prose, his brother set the words to music. The brothers immediately sent the manuscript to their New York publishers, where it was copied. The Johnsons then taught the song to a choir of 500 African American children who had been gathered especially for the celebration of Lincoln's birthday.

The Song Goes National

Although they were moved by the passionate experience of writing this song, the Johnsons did not realize the composition's potential for endurance. They moved to New York shortly after the Lincoln celebration and set out to become Broadway playwrights. Much to James and Rosamond's surprise, their lyrical tribute to African American determination developed a life of its own after they departed Jacksonville. Schoolchildren continued singing and teaching “Lift Every Voice and Sing” to others in Southern black churches, schools, and civic clubs. Soon, the song became quite popular in this region. It was so highly favored that the words and score were often hand copied and pasted into the backs of existing church hymnals and choir books. The Johnsons had the composition published and copyrighted, but it is likely that the song was most widely disseminated by these communally driven methods.

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