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The NFL announced its pregame lineup ahead of the Super Bowl LVIII and stated it plans to have the Black National Anthem, ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’. The song has been played at every Super Bowl since 2020 and was previously named 'Negro National Anthem' by the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) in 1919. As per the NFL, Grammy-winner, singer Andra Day will perform the anthem at the pregame ceremony this year.
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The NAACP started to promote the anthem in 2020, after the death of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police officers. The incident started several incidents against racial injustice in the USA. The song has stirred several controversy since the 2020 edition as many state that the song itself has several racist words. The anthem refers to slavery and hope for liberation and was later adopted significantly during the Civil Rights Movement.
NFL’s Black National Anthem announcement draws criticism
The announcement by the NFL drew criticism and several American personalities slammed the league for its plan. American radio personality Charlie Kirk wrote, “The NFL has announced that the so-called "Black National Anthem" will be performed at the Super Bowl. Of course, in reality, the black national anthem is performed at every Super Bowl, because The Star-Spangled Banner is the anthem of ALL Americans.”
He added, “The effort to create a "black national anthem," and a "black Independence Day" in Juneteenth, is part of a wider project to divide Americans up by race. Let's get back to the days when Whitney Houston showed ALL Americans how to sing about and celebrate this country.” Apart from that, Reba McEntire was tapped for the national anthem, and Post Malone was approached for ‘America the Beautiful’.
