The Wardlaw Brothers Offers Tribute for Black History Month, “Lift Every Voice & Sing”
(The Negro National Anthem)
By Benita Bellamy
As we continue to respect, reflect on and honor the role of Black Americans in the history of The United States during Black History Month, the impact of music by Black Americans will forever play a significant role in history and in our everyday lives. We venerate the ingenuity of black music makers and applaud their artistry and legacy. From spirituals to ragtime, and from the blues to hip hop, black music is to be celebrated!
Black History Month brings about a time to reminisce on the spirituals that were sung by slaves in expression of spiritual devotion and also sung as a means of communicating amongst each other. It is also a special time to educate the next generation of the anguish and torment, as well as the victories and achievements that Black Americans have experienced. A musical tribute that has become an anthem to Black Americans is “Lift Every Voice And Sing”.
Written by James Weldon Johnson, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” was performed by school children as a poem for Abraham Lincoln in celebration of his birthday in 1900. It was later set to music by Johnson’s brother in 1905 and by 1920 the NAACP adopted the song as “The Negro National Anthem”. The song has become a psalm of encouragement to black people of America, a sacred praise melody and harmonious message to continue forward towards equality.
The Wardlaw Brothers humbly pay tribute to Black History Month with their vocally stunning and dynamically orchestrated rendition of “Lift Every Voice And Sing”.