Written originally for Lincoln, ‘Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing’ now revered as Black National Anthem

James Weldon Johnson penned the 34-line poem "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" in 1900 as a tribute to former slaves and their descendants, commemorating Abraham Lincoln's birthday. The poem, later set to music by his brother John Rosamond Johnson, became known as the Black National Anthem. Originally performed by Black children in a Jacksonville school where James Weldon Johnson served as principal, the song has been passed down through generations, taught to new students by former pupils.

It has been embraced by the NAACP, sung at Civil Rights events, and adopted as a standard in Black churches and Black History Month programs. The lyrics express perseverance, faith, and hope in the face of adversity, drawing upon the 1863 signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Jacqueline Lewis, a senior minister and public theologian, regards the poem as "an American treasure," highlighting its honest portrayal of both struggle and liberation.