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Celebration honoring anniversary of Black national anthem 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' at James Weldon Johnson Park

The iconic song, commonly known as the Black national anthem, was written and recited for the first time in Jacksonville.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A celebration to honor the anniversary of the hymn "Lift Every Voice and Sing" written by Jacksonville-born writer and civil rights activist James Weldon Johnson was held at his park on Monday afternoon.

On Monday, the song celebrated its 124th anniversary at James Weldon Johnson Park in Downtown Jacksonville. 

The iconic song, commonly known as the Black national anthem, was recited for the first time in Jacksonville by a group of 500 students in 1900. The students were from the segregated Stanton School in Jacksonville where James Weldon Johnson served as principal. 

On Sunday the hymn was performed for millions of people ahead of the 2024 Super Bowl held in Las Vegas.

READ MORE: Andra Day performs Black national anthem by Jacksonville-born James Weldon Johnson at Super Bowl 2024

Councilman Rahman Johnson attended the event, along with members from the Ritz Theatre and Museum who shared stories about the history of Jacksonville's LaVilla neighborhood, where the song was written by both James Weldon Johnson and his brother, John Rosamond Johnson.

New renderings of the Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing Park were also displayed at the event. The park has been in the works for years but has yet to officially open as planned.

READ MORE: Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing Park nears completion, expected opening by end of summer

The park was built to honor both Johnson brothers in the neighborhood where the pair wrote and composed "Lift Every Voice and Sing" at their LaVilla home more than a century ago.

The song was originally written to celebrate Abraham Lincoln's birthday, but was later dubbed the Black national anthem by the NAACP. The song became the group's official song in 1919.

Johnson was working at the NAACP as executive secretary when the hymn was written. According to the NAACP, the song was used as a rally cry during the Civil Rights Movement during the 1950s and 1960s.

Emmy-winning actress Sheryl Lee Ralph became the first person to perform the Black national anthem before the Super Bowl in 2023.

During this year's Super Bowl, award-winning singer and songwriter Andra Day performed the song before the matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers.

Thanks to everyone who came out to James Weldon Johnson Park this afternoon to celebrate the 124th anniversary of the...

Posted by City of Jacksonville, Florida - Government on Monday, February 12, 2024

   

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