Black National Anthem Sends MAGA Into Meltdown

Prominent supporters of Donald Trump were furious with the inclusion of the Black National Anthem at the Super Bowl.

The pre-game performances at Super Bowl LVIII included a rendition of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" performed by recording artist Andra Day. The hymn, adopted by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), is often referred to as the Black National Anthem.

Former Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake responded to a picture showing her sitting down during a performance of the hymn at last year's Super Bowl. Lake said on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday: "I'm STILL not standing for this divisive garbage. One nation. One anthem."

The account End Wokeness added: "There is no such thing as a "Black National Anthem." If you have a problem with the AMERICAN National Anthem, feel free to leave."

Before the game, Representative Matt Gaetz said on X that he would not watch the Super Bowl because "They're desecrating America's National Anthem by playing something called the "Black National Anthem.""

Newsweek has approached the Las Vegas Super Bowl Host Committee via email out of hours for comment.

Others on X enjoyed the inclusion of the song, with one user commenting: "I'm happy to see the Black National Anthem being sang at events like the Superbowl. Andra Day was excellent! Representation matters."

Another added: "ANDRA DAY YOU BETTER SING!!! Such Beauty!!!!! Such Power!!!!"

The Black National Anthem

"Lift Every Voice and Sing" was first penned by American writer and civil rights activist James Weldon Johnson as a poem towards the end of the 19th century. His brother John Rosamond Johnson then set it to music in 1905 and it has been commonly used as a song by marginalized groups ever since.

Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020 and the subsequent protests across the U.S., there were renewed references to the song and its lyrics and it was heard at numerous marches and rallies.

President Joe Biden also unveiled a "Lift Every Voice" plan during his 2020 presidential campaign to tackle gun violence and hate crimes.

The NFL introduced a performance of the song for the 2020 NFL Kickoff weekend and it has also been used during the pre-game ceremonies for every Super Bowl since 2021.

Hall of Famer and former cornerback Troy Vincent wrote on the NFL website ahead of the 2020 opening game weekend that it was a "Christian hymn about the struggle for freedom and equality inspires hope."

But critics take issue with the idea of some sort of separate national anthem.

Journalist and media personality Megyn Kelly said: "The so-called Black National Anthem does not belong at the Super Bowl. We already have a National Anthem and it includes EVERYONE."

The prominent Libs of TikTok account added: "WTF is the "Black National Anthem"?! We already have an anthem that includes everyone and doesn't discriminate based on the color of your skin. Disgraceful!"

In his 2020 comments, Vincent said the song was sung as "part of the morning ritual" where he grew up in New Jersey.

"We sang along with it right before placing our hands over our hearts and pledging allegiance to the American flag," he added.

Scholars like Timothy Askew, author of Cultural Hegemony and African American Patriotism: An Analysis of the Song, "Lift Every Voice and Sing," said the labeling of the song as the Black National Anthem was problematic.

"I say it is an anthem of universality, inclusion," he said during a 2022 interview with Marisa Macy, an academic at the University of Nebraska. "Its words speak to all people who [are] suffering… This song is a song that brings us together as one."

Askew also said it would be wrong to replace the "Star-Spangled Banner" as the national anthem, but said: "After we sing the 'Star-Spangled Banner' as our anthem, we need to sing a stanza to 'Lift Every Voice and sing.'"