black national anthem

By now most people have heard that the Black national anthem, "Lift Every Voice and Sing," was performed at the Super Bowl by actress Sheryl Lee Ralph. Of course, there has been some discourse online about the song being sung before the national anthem or even being sung at all. But let's focus on the history of the moment, because oh, history was made.

History was made all over the Super Bowl. It was the first time two Black quarterbacks faced off on the NFL's biggest stage. It was the first time two brothers played against each other in the championship. (Hello, Kelce bros and their poor mom torn between two children.) It was also the first time that the Black national anthem was sung at the Super Bowl, but not just that. February 12, the day of the game, was the 123rd anniversary of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" being premiered in public.

Interestingly enough, that song, which has been coined the Black national anthem and holds extreme significance to the Black community, is nearly as old as the actual national anthem that everyone learns.