Andrews, who studies African American and African diasporic music, was one of a dozen speakers at a daylong symposium on “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” on Thursday (June 12) at the museum.

GREAT BARRINGTON — It is a hymn once sung by Black servicemen on the war front, but is now a staple of pregame Super Bowl ceremonies — sparking controversy for some and feelings of resilience for ...

The Black National Anthem — “Lift Every Voice and Sing” — is a hymn written as a poem by then-NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938) in 1900.

Those who tuned in early on Super Bowl Sunday heard a musical plea for unity and resilience that echoed with a Berkshire connection. Since 2021, pregame ceremonies for football’s biggest night have ...

The respect. The song is a call to action, meaning, it’s time for us to come together,” said Sharon Coon, Executive Director of the 125th Lift Every Voice and Sing Anniversary.

Lift Every Voice and Sing has been performed at every Super Bowl since 2021. Last year, Andra Day performed it ahead of the 2024 championship game.