Lift Every Voice and Sing

Lift Every Voice and Sing
	Sheet music of "Lift Every Voice and Sing"
Also known as	Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing
Lyrics	James Weldon Johnson, 1900
Music	J. Rosamond Johnson, 1905
Audio sample
	"Lift Every Voice and Sing" performed by the United States Navy Band, 2021 file; help;

"Lift Every Voice and Sing" is a hymn. James Weldon Johnson wrote the words of the hymn. His brother, J. Rosamond Johnson wrote the music. The hymn is from the point of view of African Americans, in the late 19th century. It is a prayer of thanksgiving, faithfulness, and freedom. Images in the hymn are from the book of Exodus in the Bible, where the people are freed from slavery, and led to the "promised land".

The song was first performed in 1900. It has been popular in Black communities since then. In 1917, the NAACP began to promote the hymn as a "Negro national anthem". It has been part of 42 different Christian hymnals.^[1] Different African American singers and musicians have also performed it.

↑ "Lift Every Voice and Sing". Hymnary.org.

[1] "Lift Every Voice and Sing". Hymnary.org.

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