African American
History & Heritage Site

Lift Every Voice and Sing: The Negro National Anthem

"Lift Every Voice and Sing" (1900) was written by James Weldon Johnson for a presentation in celebration of the birthday of Abraham Lincoln. The music was composed by his brother and songwriting partner, J. Rosamond Johnson. The song was originally performed in Jacksonville, Florida, by children. The popular title for this work is THE NEGRO NATIONAL ANTHEM.

1/20/09 - The Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery began his benedication at President Barack Obama's inaugeral ceremony by quoting from the third verse.

• Text by James Weldon Johnson (1871 - 1938) Bio online at the James Weldon Johnson Institute
• Music by John Rosamond Johnson (1873 - 1954) Bio online
• Lyrics Opens a new page

Download it right now!

You can download MP3s for under a dollar at Amazon.com

Karaoke Version: This R&B setting is in the very singable Key of G. Amazon.com

Sheet Music Online

Select from 17 versions and Download a DIGITAL VERSION instantly at MusicNotes.com

View the original sheet music online as jpeg images at the University of South Carolina

Found in these Hymnals:

Songs of Zion. Edited by Verolga Nix and Jefferson Cleveland. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1981. Order at Amazon.com

African American Heritage Hymnal. Carpenter, Delores & Nolen E. Williams Jr. Editors. Chicago, IL: GIA Publications, 2001. Read more or order the Assembly Edition at Amazon.com For Accompaniment Edition, Donor book plates, etc contact GIA Publications.

Lift Every Voice and Sing II: An African-American Hymnal. Pew Version and spiral bound Accompaniment Edition available from Church Publishing. You can also find it at Amazon.com

Total Praise. Sunday School Publishing Board of the National Baptist Convention. 2011 GIA Publications Inc.

Lead Me, Guide Me Second Edition. GIA Publications Inc. 2012 GIA Publications Inc. The full breadth of African American church music that is suitable for Catholic worship, along with a broader mix of common Catholic repertoire.

CDs

This song has been recorded in every musical genre. You can also listen to samples and download MP3s for under a dollar at Amazon.com and iTunes Music

Here are a few of my favorites:

For a piano instrumental version (in a very sing-able key, and which probably sounds much as the song would have been played back in 1900) try Euphonic Sounds, nineteen rag-time performances by Reginald R. Robinson, Chicago: Delmark, 1998. Available at Amazon.com Congratulations to Reginald R. Robinson, 2004 MacArthur 'Genius' Grant recipient!

For a choral version, I recommend Boys Choir of Harlem, We Shall Overcome New York 2001. Available at Amazon.com

If your tastes are for classical music, I highly recommend William Grant Still's orchestral setting for baritone solo found on Works by William Grant Still, performed by Videmus, New World Records 1990. Available at Amazon.com

Linda Tillery's arrangement on Say Yo' Business (Linda Tillery & the Cultural Heritage Choir) has a driving drum beat, a wonderful blend of traditional and contemporary sounds. You can listen to a sample and order at Amazon.com

If you love traditional quartet gospel singing, you can't beat the version recorded by The Southern Sons as reissued on 1940's Vocal Groups, Document Records 1996. (Plus, you'll get the complete recorded works of The Southern Sons and the first recorded works of Richmond's Harmonizing Four on one CD...such a deal!) The Zion Harmonizers also provide a great version on Best of New Orleans Gospel Vol. 2.

The Boston Pops has has also recorded it on their CD, A Splash of Pops. Available at Amazon.com

For a thrilling a capella version performed by Women of the Calabash with the Free Voices of Praise Choir, try The Kwanzaa Album. Available at Amazon.com

Books

Lift Every Voice and Sing. Johnson, James Weldon, Illustrated by Elizabeth Catlett. New York: Walker, 1993. Available at Amazon.

A picture book with impressionistic interpretations of the lyrics in colored pencil, gouache, and watercolor.

Lift Every Voice and Sing : A Celebration of the Negro National Anthem : 100 Years, 100 Voices, edited by Julian Bond. New York: Random House, 2000.

History of the song, plus 100 commentaries by people of all races. There's even a Kindle edition. Available at Amazon.

Read More at NPR "Present at the Creation"

http://creativefolk.com/blackhistory/lift.html