For the third straight year, the black national anthem was performed at the Super Bowl. NFL fans were deeply divided on whether it was appropriate to perform the black national anthem before Super Bowl 57.
Before the Philadelphia Eagles took on the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium in Arizona, 10-time Academy of Country Music award-winner Chris Stapleton sang the national anthem. Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds – a 12-time Grammy Award-winning recording artist, songwriter, and producer – sang “America the Beautiful.”
Emmy-winning actress and singer Sheryl Lee Ralph sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which was designated as the “black national anthem” in 1917 by the NAACP.
Reactions on Twitter show NFL fans were staunchly opposed and vehemently supportive of the black national anthem being performed at Super Bowl LVII.
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.): “America only has ONE NATIONAL ANTHEM. Why is the NFL trying to divide us by playing multiple!? Do football, not wokeness.”
TheBlaze contributor Delano Squires: “I grew up singing ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ during assembly in my all-black elementary school. We also sang the Star Spangled Banner and said the pledge. It’s a beautiful hymn, but I feel like it’s being used by people who think we need a new founding (1619), flag, and anthem.”
Political pundit CJ Pearson: “The National Anthem is for EVERY American. What’s the purpose of a black one? Super Bowl Sunday should UNITE America, not divide it by race. It’s not the 1960s.”
TheBlaze contributor T.J. Moe: “Thank God we played the ‘blacknational anthem.’ Nothing screams unity like separating everything.”
Police officer and podcast host Zeek Arkham: “My ‘black’ National Anthem is the same anthem I’ve been singing since I was a child. The same one children of all races have been singing. My National Anthem never needed a color. Do they want racism to die, or do they want to keep finding ways to divide us all?”
Former GOP candidate Lavern Spicer: “The BlackNational Anthem is the Star Spangled Banner. The White National Anthem is the Star Spangled Banner. The Mixed National Anthem is the Star Spangled Banner. If you live in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, your National Anthem is the Star Spangled Banner.”
Commentator Matt Walsh: “No other country on Earth is ridiculous enough to permit different racial groups to perform their own national anthems before major events.”
Actor Kevin Sorbo: “The @NFL is going to play a black national anthem before the Super Bowl. Seems racist and divisive.”
Radio host Gerry Callahan: “The ‘Black National Anthem’ could be the single best example of corporate cowardice and shameless pandering in American history. You have one national anthem or no national anthem. Roger Goodell is pathetic.”
Students for Trump founder Ryan Fournier: “There is no Blacknational anthem. There is no White national anthem. There is no Hispanic national anthem. There is only THE National Anthem. God Bless America!”
Former GOP candidate James Bradley: “Having a black national anthem is just another way that Democrats keep us divided.”
Political commentator Jack Posobiec: “The only thing that can unite America forever is creating separate national anthems for each different ethnic groups. I demand each one be played before every game Especially the Super Bowl.”
There were people who supported the black national anthem being played at the Super Bowl.
Republican strategist Paris Dennard: “‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ was a poem written by Republican, James Weldon Johnson in 1900. His brother put it to music and it was first performed by children at Johnson’s segregated FL elementary school to celebrate Pres. Abraham Lincoln’s birthday – which is today.”
Forbes writer Exavier Pope: “It’s informally called the Black National Anthem, but that’s not the name of the song & when the song is referenced by Black people, we use the formal title of the song. Also, to refuse the song is to dismiss its origin, history, it’s lineage, & all the reasons it STILL matters.”
Journalist Skylar Baker-Jordan: “‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ has been called the Black national anthem for longer than ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ has been the U.S. national anthem. This tweet is for all the conservatives currently or about to lose their s**t over a song praising God and freedom.”
Public education activist Mitchell Robinson: “Please add ‘Black national anthem’ to pronouns, books, schools, LGBTQ folks, and the other harmless things that frighten conservatives.”
Screenwriter Matt Mikalatos: “What’s especially baffling to me is Christians complaining about a hymn playing before the Super Bowl. Maybe they should reflect on the lyrics.”
A previously recorded version of the black national anthem sung by Alicia Keys was played at Super Bowl LV in 2021. Gospel duo Mary Mary and Youth Orchestra performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing” during Super Bowl LVI in 2022.
* Article from: The Blaze