![]() ![]() Theo Aytchan Williams, Samba Funk! Artistic Director said, “2019 is the perfect time for the message of this monumental work to be heard around the world to help raise our collective consciousness and present a living example of how music can play a significant role in unification. Historically music often plays a significant role in bringing people together for positive change. The group’s vision is that the new release will shine a light on the Black Experience and ignite a sense of pride among Black and oppressed people worldwide. The SambaFunk! version of “ Lift Every Voice & Sing” comes on the 120th anniversary of the writing of the original poem. It was later put to music by John Rosamond Johnson and adopted as the Black National Anthem by the NAACP. Washington in commemorate of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. “ Lift Every Voice and Sing” often referred to as the “ Black National Anthem“, was originally written as a poem in 1899 by James Weldon Johnson to be recited by 500 students at the Stranton School in Jacksonville, Florida as a welcoming poem to educator Booker T. “Leaders should be using this moment to unequivocally stand firm against the rise of fascism and white nationalist violence coupled with agenda-setting to help uplift communities across the country.”īelow is a video of John Legend performing his rendition of “Lift Every Voice And Sing” during the virtual commencement exercises hosted by Morehouse School of Medicine in May 2020.*Oakland, CA – Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area arts collective SambaFunk! has mastered a new version of the classic “ Lift Every Voice & Sing” to coincide with Black History Month in February. “Clyburn’s suggestion isn’t about what is better for Black people it’s about what will make whiteness comfortable,” Changa wrote in response to Clyburn’s proposal last month. ![]() But writer Anoa Changa suggested such a move could ultimately betray the true and original intentions of the song. James Clyburn even went so far as to suggest that “Lift Every Voice and Sing” should become America’s national hymn in an effort to heal racial wounds. But it also sets aside funding for issues stemming from the disproportionate effect that COVID-19 has had on Black people, including the shuttering of Black-owned businesses.Ĭonversely, Biden ally and South Carolina Rep. ![]() takes slow steps to address inequalities facing Black people in all walks of life.Īs a candidate, President Joe Biden named his plan for Black America the “Lift Every Voice” plan addresses some of the stereotypical topics associated with Black people, like gun violence and criminal justice. It’s also gained increasing relevance in recent months amid a purported racial reckoning as the U.S. Today the song is an integral piece of Black patriotism. In 1990, singer Melba Moore released a modern rendition of the song, which she recorded along with others including recording artists Anita Baker, Stephanie Mills, Dionne Warwick, Bobby Brown, Stevie Wonder, Jeffrey Osborne, Howard Hewett BeBe & CeCe and The Clark Sisters. It is heavily performed at predominately African-American venues, especially in Black churches across the nation. Deep symbolism was found in its lyrics, allowing African-Americans to subtly speak against racial bigotry. For many African Americans, singing the song was their way of showing patriotism and hope for the future, considering the plight of racism they greatly faced. ![]()
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