Why Is the ‘Black National Anthem’ Played at the Super Bowl?

Only two days are left for the league’s biggest showdown, Super Bowl LVIII. Ahead of the event in Las Vegas, the NFL announced its pregame schedule on Thursday. The part of this schedule that is again drawing criticism is the Black National Anthem.

During the Super Bowl last year in Arizona, actor and singer Sheryl Lee Ralph sang the Black National Anthem, which became problematic for many. But why is it played, and who will perform it this year? Let’s dig into the answers to these questions.

The origin of the Black National Anthem

In 1900, James Weldon Johnson, a writer and leader of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, wrote a hymn titled Lift Every Voice and Sing, known today as the Black National Anthem. Originally recited by 500 students at a segregated school, Johnson’s brother, J. Rosamond Johnson, a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance, later set it to music.

In 2020, the NFL and other sports events introduced this anthem to address racial disparities following George Floyd’s incident. President Joe Biden also referenced it in his plans to address the country’s racial inequality.

Since then, many sporting events have announced that the hymn will be performed as part of pre-game ceremonies to uplift black people and show solidarity with the black community.

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Subsequently, the Black National Anthem is played in a pregame event in the Super Bowl.

Who is going to perform the Black National Anthem this year?

The Grammy-winning R&B singer, actor, and activist Andra Day will sing the Black National Anthem this year. Talking about the opportunity, Day, in a Thursday press conference presented by Apple Music, said, “More than anything, it’s an honor, you know, it’s exciting.” She stated it “feels intentional,” and “I like to do things with intention and with purpose…. It’s a hymn of triumph and that’s what I want people to encounter when I sing the song. I want them to know that we have victory and we have peace already.”

Besides this, Reba McEntire is tapped for the National Anthem, Post Malone will present “America the Beautiful,” and Usher will be performing at the Halftime Super Bowl show. Additionally, Shaheem Sanchez will sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing” in sign language, and Adam Blackstone is producing both McEntire’s national album and Day’s Black National Anthem.

The Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers’ Super Bowl game will kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on February 11.

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