The Emmy-Award winning American actress, Sheryl Lee Ralph, is all set to perform the “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” Black National Anthem at the Super Bowl LVII, 2023 on Sunday, know its lyrics meaning and history
For those who are unfamiliar with the actress, let us tell you, the 66-year-old actress is amongst the three who are going to take the stage at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Ralph, who is widely known for appearing in 1977 comedy movie, A Piece of the Action, will be performing the national anthem before the Philadelphia Eagles vs Kansas City Chiefs match began, meanwhile Rihanna will be performing during the halftime.
If you’re unaware, let us tell you, the Connecticut-native is the winner of Emmy awards as a first time nominee at the age of 66, last year.
Lift Every Voice and Sing NFL Super Bowl 2023 black national anthem lyrics meaning and history explained
Apart from being an actress, she is also known as the Broadway artist who made her Broadway debut in Dreamgirls, for which the actress bagged Tony Award for Best Actress.
Now coming back to the meaning of phrase, “Life Every Voice and Sing,’ let us tell you, it’s a hymn with lyrics written by James Weldon Johnson. The hymn was turned into the “Black National Anthem.”
The anthem gained worldwide recognition during the 1950s and 60s when Civil Rights Movement was prominent as the protesters used it a lot for rallying cry.
The music of the poem was composed by Johnson’s brother. The anthem was reportedly performed in public by a choir of 500 schoolchildren from the segregated school in Jacksonville, Florida, where Johnson was principal.
Later, the anthem was performed to celebrate President, Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. In 1919, it became the official song of NAACP.
English Lyrics of the Anthem
Lift every voice and sing,
Till earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the list’ning skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won.
Stony the road we trod,
Bitter the chast’ning rod,
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat,
Have not our weary feet
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears has been watered.
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,
Out from the gloomy past,
Till now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.
God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who hast brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who hast by Thy might,
Led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee,
Lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;
Shadowed beneath Thy hand,
May we forever stand,
True to our God,
True to our native land.
Moesha fame Broadway actress is one of the 3 star’s who are going to perform during the Sunday’s game. Apart from Rihanna and Ralph, Country music singer, Chris Stapleton, will also be seen performing.
Chris will be singing the national anthem while R&B legend babyface, will perform “America the beautiful,” ahead the kickoff of the game.
For those who are wondering where they can stream it online, let us tell you, the viewers can stream the performances of star’s live on television network Fox.
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