More than a century after the NAACP adopted “Lift Every Voice and Sing” as the “Black National Anthem”, the song has caused a reaction raped in social networks in the period prior to Sunday’s Super Bowl in New Orleans.
Representative Lauren Bobert said in X that there is “a national anthem.” Another critic called the song, which speaks of the resilience and the perspective of better days for an oppressed people, a song of “black supremacy”. Another still called him “racist and divisive.” Some black conservatives have also said that the song should not be interpreted in the game, calling it “a desperate hail Mary to explode” and that “it encourages racial divide and animosity.”
This will be the fifth consecutive Super Bowl in presenting the song at the ceremony prior to the game, every time it seems to have a disagreement about whether it is appropriate. This year, its Ledisi performance occurs in the midst of the growing rejections of anti -racism messaging and efforts of diversity, equity and inclusion in many facets of American life, from sports to corporate joint halls and the federal government.
“The interpretation of the song must be framed not as a protest song but as a song of black statement, perseverance and inspiration,” said Gerald Early, the pop culture essayist that teaches in the Department of African and African -American Studies of Washington University in St. Louis. “It is unfortunate that the performance of the song has become a problem of cultural war.”
There was a similar protest last year when Audra Day performed the legendary song before the final game of the NFL. This year, however, the controversy is aligned with the first weeks of Donald Trump’s return to the White House and he signing hundreds of executive orders, some of which are aimed at dismantling Dei in the federal government and beyond.
Even so, having “lifting every voice and singing” realized is not an accusation or a protest in the league, or a political statement, Early said. “Feelings could be working a little more on this issue since Donald Trump won the elections decisively and has always opposed this kind of thing.”
James Weldon Johnson, a civil rights activist and leader of the NAACP, initially wrote it as a poem in 1900, and then collaborated with his younger brother, J. Rosamond Johnson, a musician, to transform her into a song now held by Black people from all over the country.
Ken Knuckles, music professor for more than 25 years in Litonia, Georgia, described him as a “powerful and inspiring song.” He said he has taught the song innumerable times to students as young as high school students.
“And they sing it as it is supposed to be sung: with pride,” he said. “They are the words. Words have power and this song is about achievement. The song means the world for people of color. It reflects how long we had to fight to get where we are now. The song is inspiring and aspiration. “
During a press conference this week, Ledisi said she was honored to sing the song on Sunday.
“I feel that I am aligned with greatness to be at this time and sing that song,” said Grammy’s winning artist. “I am used to this in my career, at times, representing the past and the future and current state of the world. I am used to that pressure. I just remember who I am doing. I remember my ancestors. I remember that everyone who expected this moment feels hopeful and feels represented. “
While the NFL has not indicated whether it will stop “lifting every voice and sing” before the Super Bowl, the League has begun to expand its final zone templates, which began in 2020 with “final racism” after the protests caused For George Floyd’s police murder in Minneapolis.
This year’s Super Bowl at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, the TouchDowns will be described in front of the message, “choose love.” Early said this change can have political implications.
“The problem facing the NFL is that once you start announcing socially aware messages, you offend people who do not want to be preached while looking at sports,” he added. “They go to sports to escape politics, not to get more from it.”
Trump, who will attend Sunday’s game, is pressing corporations to end the Dei programs, with many conservatives supporting their game. The NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said this week that Dei’s policies have improved the League and that the organization remains committed to it.
The first emphasized that black players represent about 53% of athletes in a league that was integrated in 1946.
A recent Associated Press survey of 65 black players from the NFL indicated that many are disappointed that 11 franchises have never hired a black coach. And concerns about the lack of black coaches in general have existed for more than 40 years.
In 2016, the former NFL field marshal, Colin Kaepernick, knelt during the national anthem to protest the police brutality of black men and, with Trump leading the speech against him, never played again in the League.
The response of people early to the national national anthem is similar to criticism of Kaepernick a decade ago.
“Some who oppose ‘raising every voice and sing’ think about it as another protest or as a protest song and couphes it with Kaepernick’s protest,” he said. It is very likely that “they are fed up with protests associated with US sports and American entertainment in general.”
