GREAT BARRINGTON — It is a hymn once sung by Black servicemen on the war front, but is now a staple of pregame Super Bowl ceremonies — sparking controversy for some and feelings of resilience for ...

R&B vocalist Ledisi performed the black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” ahead of the 2025 Super Bowl matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

The Black National Anthem – “Lift Every Voice and Sing” – is a hymn written as a poem by then NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938) in 1900.

The Black National Anthem — “Lift Every Voice and Sing” — is a hymn written as a poem by then-NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938) in 1900.

In 2021, the NFL began to include “Lift Every Voice and Sing” with the Super Bowl pregame. Alicia Keys, Mary Mary and Andra Day have previously performed the song for the Big Game.

U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, one of the most powerful Black members of Congress, proposed a bill in 2021 to make "Lift Every Voice and Sing" the official national hymn of the U.S.

Mary Mary performed the song from outside SoFi stadium the next year at Super Bowl LVI and last year, Andra Day performed "Lift Every Voice and Sing" ahead of the 2024 championship game.