{
  "id": 15793825,
  "title": "Written originally for Lincoln, ‘Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing’ now revered as Black National Anthem",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/written-originally-for-lincoln-lift-evry-voice-and-sing-now-revered",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-20T19:59:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Winnipeg Free Press",
    "slug": "winnipeg-free-press",
    "url": "https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/2026/10/20/written-originally-for-lincoln-lift-evry-voice-and-sing-now-revered-as-black-national-anthem"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "\"Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing\" written by James Weldon Johnson in 1900",
    "Originally composed as tribute to former slaves and Lincoln's birthday",
    "Adopted as Black National Anthem by NAACP and Black churches"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}