The song “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which has become known affectionately as the Black National Anthem, has been performed at most major sporting events since 2020. And that will be the case once again when the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.
According to CBS News, the song will be performed by Grammy Award-winning artist Ledisi ahead of Super Bowl LIX.
“Ledisi will perform the song, which has been an important piece of work for over a century. Ledisi is a 15-time Grammy nominee and has a Grammy win for Best Traditional R&B Performance for ‘Anything For You.’ She taken the stage at many major locations including The White House, Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center,” CBS News reported.
Appearing in 42 different Christian hymnals, the song references the biblical Exodus, symbolizing the journey from slavery to liberation in the “promised land.” It has held deep significance within the Black community, especially following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
The song was originally written by James Weldon Johnson in 1899. Johnson was an author, educator, lawyer and civil rights activist who aimed to write a poem to honor President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday.
This certainly will not be the first time that “Lift Every Voice and Sing” will be performed at a significant NFL game. The song has been performed at each of the last three Super Bowls. Alicia Keys performed the song played ahead of the 2021 Super Bowl in a prerecorded video that played at the game. 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 Super Bowl.
The song was also played before the NFL Draft in 2021 and was performed yet again to open the NFL season in September.
The “Star-Spangled Banner” will also be performed before the game with New Orleans native Jon Batiste performing his rendition of the national anthem.
