The Black National Anthem Lyrics
Rene Marie caused an uproar in Denver on Tuesday when she was asked to sing ‘The National Anthem’ at the mayor’s state of the city address and instead sang ‘The Black National Anthem’ to the surprise and shock of all in attendance.
If you are like me then you are probably curious as to what the words of the song are. Keep reading below to find out.
The Black National Anthem by James Weldon Johnson
Lift ev’ry voice and sing,
Till earth and heaven ring.
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise,
High as the list’ning skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won.
Stony the road we trod,
Bitter the chast’ning rod,
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat,
Have not our weary feet,
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears has been watered,
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,
Out from the gloomy past,
Till now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.
God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who has brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who has by Thy might,
Led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee,
Lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee,
Shadowed beneath thy hand,
May we forever stand,
True to our God,
True to our native land.
Also Read: CNN Calls NBA All-Star Weekend ‘Black Thanksgiving’ – So Let’s All Celebrate
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its time,the world cup is just here so I feel sorry for myself bcos i dont know the black national anthem ‘nkosi sikelele’ can u please help me out. i also want to sing like others the right lyrics.
and what NATION does this represent??? what BLACK nation??? I do believe I come from the SAME nation! You ‘Im owed’ losers!!!!
So sad William C Haines.You are the real loser.How can you talk about something some people care so deeply about?People don’t bad mouth the National Anthem because it’s the NATIONAL ANTHEM.You don’t disrespect when respect is due.I respect other people’s beliefs,religons, and the things they do because you know what?…This is america.And in America it’s a free country.
Also don’t talk bad about something that was relevant and is still relevant today.Black people have gotten nothing for the sweat, blood, and degradation for this country.Black people have contributed just as much as the whites have.I hate the racism and predjudice in this world.Every race knows their history, their legacy, their culture.Black people however can only trace their ancestry to slavery…if their lucky enough.Most times slave masters only wrote ages, not the names of the people they bought.The only thing they trully know is that they came from Africa.And so do all races.Scientists have proved it, and it’s a fact.And how can you talk bad about black people when it’s in your blood.you can’t deny.
Look up national geographic the human family tree, and you’ll find out.I pray for the minds that are empty and wander around doing nothing but take up space.
To William C Haines,
the black national anthem does not represent african americans as a separate unit of the US, it is in memory of the hardships that african americans had to go through during the revolution. while the white men were trying to sepatate them selves from the British, the african americans were slaves and treated horribly. white men during the 1700′s were ignorant of the fact that they were treating the african american slaves badly as the british were treating them, there was quite a bit of hypocracy and the black national anthem is a rebuttle of the “white” national anthem which was glorifying the revolution. the americans won the revolution and the white man was free from British authority, however the african americans were still slaves. Fredrick Douglass was an african american man during the revolution and he gave many speeches and wrote many things to try and persuade the public to end slavery, if you want to actually know some american history i suggest you read The Narative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass. And just by the way, i was confused at first as to why there is a black national anthem as well, but learning about US history i realize that the “white” National anthem has a bias by the sence that white men were the only free people during this time (don’t even get me STARTED about womens right’s) and winning the revolution didn’t change the circumstances of the african american slaves directly (however it did spread the idea of not obeying authority to get rights). i hope you now understand the importance of the “black” national anthem.
Dear,William C Hains,
you are so stupid and UN professional you are a stupid racist narcissist how could you say what black nation do you see the amount of Blacks that’s how much slaves there would of been so get some common sense and please stop being ignorant and a fool, but i hope you was just joking
Hey stop sayin all that dumb stuff about blacks forget about it ok i was done on May 30th, 2010 (hint 2010 FORGET ABOUT IT OK)
After all the historical fact and cultural information that has been graciously bestowed upon you, William C Haines, I am amazed at your continuing ignorance. It is of no significance the date on which you posted you ignorant and racist rant. You shouuld feel blessed that there are those that are more tolerant and educated than yourself who are willing to give explanation to your comment. Consider that yourself LUCKY that there are none on this website who think such as you.
Alaina B-
I don’t know if you’ll check back in here, but I just wanted to clarify that your history is a little confused. The National Anthem was not written during the American Revolution. It was composed by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812. And the song was not “glorifying the revolution.” He wrote the song while aboard a British warship that was bombarding Ft. McHenry. Secondly, Frederick Douglass, a brilliant man, was not alive during the American Revolution. He lived from 1818 to 1895, through the years of the Civil War.
I just wanted to clear up those errors.
Alaina B, your an idiot, fredrick douglass was the American war between the states, not the rev war. and when asked to sing the national anthem, can i instead sing dixie since it represents my southern heritage of poor farmers who didnt own slaves but were getting screwed over on states rights and tariffs. “If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. ” abraham lincoln 1862 letter to horace greely
As a white person, I thought the woman had a lovely voice, the words were beautiful and I took it as a demonstration of her civil liberties to sing the black national anthem. However, she was asked to sing the nation’s current national anthem, so I have mixed emotions about it. In one way, it shows total disrespect and disregard for the people who asked her to sing and clearly wanted HER because she was a ver ygood singer. On the other hand, we often need people to step out of their comfort zone and wake us up.
Wow.. oh what a little history lesson can do for the future of this country… respect where respect is due
Im Trynaa Learn All Thee Wordss So I Cann Geeet $20!!!!!!!!!!! Ayyyyyyyyyyyye!
i love the black natioal anthem i just like are own(african americans) to love and show thatjust because were black doesnt mean that we cant have our own things.
To Alaina B.
To add to what Brian C. said, I would also like to point out that calling the national anthem ‘white biased’ because it was written when only white men had equal rights makes no sense. The Constitution of the Unites State of America was also written when white men were the only ones with equal rights and passed by white men that owned slaves. That fact doesn’t invalidate the point that the Constitution is a document that protects the rights of everyone in our nation and it certainly doesn’t mean that you could claim that it is ‘white biased’.