‘Black National Anthem’ at Super Bowl causes controversy

Before every sporting event throughout the United States, the country’s national anthem The Star-Spangled Banner is traditionally played or sung. That will be the case once again before the Super Bowl LVIII matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers, but another song will be played in addition – Lift Every Voice and Sing, which has become known as the Black National Anthem.

Before Sunday’s big game, Grammy Award-winning artist Andra Day is set to perform Lift Every Voice and Sing – a song that has become important to the Black community, especially following the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Written in 1900, the song is featured in 42 different Christian hymnals and makes an allusion to the biblical Exodus from slavery to the freedom of the “promised land.”

But not everyone is happy that a song that has become known as the Black National Anthem” will be performed at the Super Bowl.

Good morning to everyone who knows a Black National Anthem is not necessary…

We already have a National Anthem for ALL Americans.

— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) February 11, 2024

“Good morning to everyone who knows a Black National Anthem is not necessary… We already have a National Anthem for ALL Americans,” Political commentator Gunther Eagleman said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

But many people did not share this opinion.

They already crying 😭😭😭😭 https://t.co/erlLAVBU7a

— Reet the Naysayer (@theNFLchick) February 11, 2024

The one written by Francis Scott Key, a generation slave owner?….no thanks https://t.co/dxqT7cUXvd

— Miah_The_Machine (@J_Terrence89) February 11, 2024

Well well well if it isn’t a white man telling us what we shouldn’t have. Very on brand for the unpainted. https://t.co/J0bhOsANCO

— 𝕆𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕨𝕒 𝔹𝕖𝕖 🐝 (@StrawberriSplif) February 11, 2024

Friendly reminder, since the snowflakes have it trending again, that "Lift Every Voice and Sing" has been colloquially known as the Black National Anthem since 1917, and "The Star Spangled Banner" was adopted as the official U.S. national anthem fourteen years later, in 1931.

— Josh 🐯 Hill (@joshtigerhill) February 11, 2024

It’s worth noting that The Star-Spangled Banner will still be performed by Reba McEntire.