Lift Every Voice and Sing Flashcards
by James Weldon Johnson — tap or click to flip
Flashcard Review
Flashcards: Lift Every Voice and Sing
Who wrote 'Lift Every Voice and Sing'?
James Weldon Johnson wrote the lyrics in 1900; his brother J. Rosamond Johnson composed the music.
Why was the poem originally written?
It was written for a celebration of Abraham Lincoln's birthday at the Stanton School in Jacksonville, Florida, on February 12, 1900.
Why is it called the Black National Anthem?
It spread rapidly through Black churches and schools and was adopted by the NAACP as its official song in 1919.
What does the first stanza celebrate?
Hope, liberty, and joyful aspiration — it calls for voices to ring with 'the harmonies of Liberty.'
What does 'Stony the road we trod' refer to?
The difficult journey of African Americans through slavery and oppression — a metaphor for historical suffering.
What does 'the blood of the slaughtered' reference?
Those who suffered and died during slavery and in the struggle for freedom and civil rights.
What is the tone of the second stanza?
Solemn and reflective — it acknowledges past suffering while affirming that the community has endured.
What does 'the rising sun' symbolize?
Hope and new beginnings — a future of freedom and equality dawning after the long night of oppression.
What does the third stanza pray for?
Divine guidance, continued faithfulness, and that the community not forget God amid worldly distractions.
What does 'chastening rod' mean?
A rod used for punishment or discipline — a metaphor for the harsh suffering endured by African Americans.
What literary device is 'Sing a song full of...' repeated?
Anaphora — the repetition of a phrase at the beginning of successive clauses for emphasis.
What Biblical themes does the poem echo?
The Exodus narrative — deliverance from bondage, journey through the wilderness, and arrival at a promised land.
What does 'True to our native land' mean?
A pledge of loyalty to America as home, affirming that African Americans claim the country as their own despite its history of oppression.
How does the poem's structure mirror its message?
It moves from celebration (stanza 1) through remembrance of suffering (stanza 2) to prayer and commitment (stanza 3) — past, present, and future.
What does 'the white gleam of our bright star' represent?
A guiding ideal — freedom, hope, or the promise of equality that has sustained the community through its struggles.
How many schoolchildren first performed the song?
Five hundred schoolchildren sang it at the Stanton School on Lincoln's birthday in 1900.
What is the overall message of the poem?
Acknowledge the painful past, celebrate the resilience that brought us this far, and commit to faithfulness and justice going forward.
What modern artists have performed this song?
Ray Charles, Beyonce, and many choirs have recorded it; the NFL plays it before games since 2020.
What does 'hearts drunk with the wine of the world' mean?
A warning against becoming intoxicated by worldly pleasures and forgetting spiritual and communal values.
What movement is this poem associated with?
The Harlem Renaissance and the broader African American civil rights tradition — it predates and helped inspire the Renaissance.