“Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” often called the Black National Anthem, was sung again this year during pre-game festivities at the Super Bowl. African American singer Andra Day received a rousing ovation at the stadium. However, many people asked why that song. Many others went berserk.
This “tradition (?)” was begun several years ago following racial and social justice protests following the murder of George Floyd. The NFL also announced it would commit $250 million over ten years to social justice initiatives targeting “systemic racism” and supporting “the battle against the ongoing and historic injustices faced by African Americans.”
The singing of the Black National Anthem lit up the social media and sent MAGA folk into meltdown.
Before the game, Representative Matt Gaetz wrote on X, “They’re desecrating America’s National Anthem by playing something called the ‘Black National Anthem.”
Former Arizona Republican candidate for governor, Kari Lake, proclaimed, “I’m not standing for this divisive garbage. One nation. One anthem.”
“No such thing as a ‘Black National Anthem’ . . The end,” another politician wrote.
I understand the MAGA crowd, and I understand those more polite people asking why have such a song at the top game of the country’s national pastime.
As a youngster, I often wondered why the National Anthem was sung at the beginning of sports events. It seemed an odd practice to my way of thinking. I thought the Anthem more appropriate at civic events, e.g., military events, government events, Fourth of July festivals and parades, and even PTA meetings. But sporting events? I never saw a connection, even though I liked sports and was a high school and college athlete. Later, I learned that business reasons influenced this practice, like many societal matters.
For nearly a century, baseball was THE sport in America, the so-called national pastime. So, it is not surprising that they played the National Anthem to kick off the World Series during World War I and occasionally played it at holiday games. However, the Anthem was not played regularly–before every game–until World War II. As many citizens and industries geared up for the WW II “War Effort,” Major League Baseball team owners wanted to continue playing (and, of course, making money), but they wanted to do so without being criticized for not helping the war effort. So, they solicited from President Roosevelt what became known as his “Greenlight Letter,” suggesting they continue the games to give Americans a way to have recreation during the strenuous period of the war.
To show that they were patriotic and supported the country while at war–while doing nothing else differently–they hit upon the idea of playing the National Anthem before each game. And the rest, as the saying goes, is history. Through the years, other sports followed baseball’s Anthem practice, and now it’s institutionalized.
Ill-placed, perhaps, but serving another American pastime—making money.
I have a suggestion. How about not playing the Black National Anthem and seriously addressing systemic racism, starting in-house in the NFL.