Is The NFL Going to Play the Black National Anthem?

The NFL is under pressure to play the Black National Anthem before games this season. Some players are pushing for it, but it’s not clear if the league will actually do it.

The current state of the NFL

The NFL has been embroiled in controversy for the past few years. There have been many different issues that have come to light, including player protests, domestic violence, and concussions. Recently, the issue of whether or not to play the black national anthem has come to the forefront. There are pros and cons to this issue, and it is a complex issue.

Protests during the National Anthem

Since 2016, protests during the National Anthem have been a hot-button issue in the NFL. In that year, then-49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began sitting or taking a knee during the anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality. His actions sparked a national conversation and divided fans, with some arguing that players should be required to stand for the anthem and others saying that Kaepernick (and other protesting players) were exercising their right to freedom of speech.

The issue came to a head in 2017, when President Donald Trump said at a rally that NFL owners should fire players who kneel during the anthem. The remarks prompted more players to kneel in protest, and some teams chose to stay in the locker room during the anthem altogether. In response, the NFL implemented a new rule requiring all players to stand for the anthem or stay in the locker room. However, the rule was put on hold before it could be implemented, and no further action has been taken since then.

The anthem protests have largely died down in recent years, but tensions were reignited in 2020 when George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, was killed by police officers in Minneapolis. Several NFL stars, including Kaepernick, spoke out against Floyd’s death and called for an end to police brutality. In response to the renewed protests, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell issued a statement saying “we must listen” to those who are “calling out for change.” It remains to be seen what (if any) action the league will take in regards to player protests during the National Anthem in the future.

The NFL’s response

The NFL has responded to the growing calls for social justice and racial equality by vowing to play the black national anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing” before every game in Week 1 of the 2020 season. The gesture is meant to “support our players and a united front,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement.

This decision comes after months of protests and cries for change in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. Many people have called on the NFL to do more to support black players and communities, including hiring more black head coaches and front office personnel, and donations to social justice causes.

What remains to be seen is whether this gesture will be enough to placate critics, or if it will only serve to further alienate fans who are already disgruntled with the league over its handling of player protests during the national anthem. Only time will tell if the NFL’s latest effort is a sincere step toward progress or merely a performative one.

The history of the Black National Anthem

“Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” was first performed as a poem by James Weldon Johnson in 1900 and set to music by his brother John Rosamond Johnson in 1905. The song was first sung publicly by a 500-voice choir at a celebration of Lincoln’s Birthday in Jacksonville, Florida. It quickly became popular among black communities and was adopted as the unofficial anthem of the NAACP.

“Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing”

The Black National Anthem, “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing”, was written by James Weldon Johnson in 1900. The song was originally written as a poem to be set to music, but it wasn’t until Johnson’s brother, John Rosamond Johnson, wrote the music for the anthem that it became popular. The song quickly gained popularity among the African American community and has been sung at many important events, including the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

While “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” is not officially recognized as the Black National Anthem by the United States government, it is widely considered to be such by the African American community. In 2016, then-President Barack Obama called the anthem “one of the most powerful songs” he’d ever heard.

In recent years, there have been calls for the NFL to play “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” before games on opening weekend in order to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. While no decisions have been made about this yet, it’s possible that we may hear this powerful anthem more frequently in the future.

“The Star-Spangled Banner”

In 1814, Francis Scott Key was watching the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British ships of the Royal Navy in Baltimore Harbor during the War of 1812. As the bombs and rockets exploded and lit up the night sky, he was inspired by the sight of the United States flag still flying over the fort. He scribbled some lyrics on the back of a letter he had in his pocket and later set those words to music. His poem, which he called “The Defence of Fort M’Henry,” was first published on September 16, 1814, in a Baltimore newspaper.

The poem was later set to music by several different composers, including John Stafford Smith, whose tune became popularly known as “The Anacreontic Song.” This melody was adopted as the United States’ unofficial national anthem and was commonly played at public events. In 1889, it was selected as the official military march of the United States Navy.

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson ordered that “The Star-Spangled Banner” be played at military and naval occasions. The playing of Key’s tune before baseball games began during World War I. By 1931, “The Star-Spangled Banner” had been declared the national anthem of the United States by an act of Congress.

Playing the Black National Anthem in the NFL

There has been talk about the NFL playing the Black National Anthem before games this upcoming season. While some people are for it, others are against it. There are pros and cons to this decision. Let’s take a look at them.

Pros

Some feel that the NFL playing the Black national anthem before every game would be a powerful statement that would help to unify the country and show support for the black community. Kevin Golemon, a former NFL executive, told CNN that he believes it would be “an amazing gesture of solidarity.” He said, “It would recognize that we as a league understands the pain that so many black Americans are feeling right now and want to do something about it.”

Other benefits of playing the Black national anthem before games could include helping to educate fans about the history and meaning of the song, and bringing attention to important issues facing the black community today. Lamar Johnson, a professor of Africana studies at the University of Illinois said, “It could potentially open up a conversation among fans, players and coaches about why this song is necessary and what it means to be black in America.”

Cons

Not everyone is in support of playing the Black National Anthem, with some people believing that it will further divide the country instead of uniting it. Playing two national anthems could also create a feeling of animosity between those who identify with one anthem over the other. Some believe that this is not the NFL’s place, and that they should stick to football instead of wading into political waters.

What needs to happen for the Black National Anthem to be played in the NFL

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has signed off on the idea of playing the Black national anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing” before NFL games, a league spokesman said Wednesday. The plan still needs approval from the NFL Players Association. If both sides agree, the song would be played before “The Star-Spangled Banner” during the first week of the 2020 NFL season, which begins Sept. 10.

Players need to be on board

In order for the Black National Anthem to be played in the NFL, the players need to be on board with the idea. There has been no official statement from the NFL or any of the teams about playing the Black National Anthem, so it is unclear if there is enough support from the players to make it happen.

Some people have suggested that the Black National Anthem should be played before every game, while others think it should only be played on special occasions, like Martin Luther King Day or Black History Month. There is also the question of whether or not other anthems, like “Lift Every Voice and Sing” or “We Shall Overcome,” should be played as well.

It will ultimately be up to the players to decide if they want the Black National Anthem to be played in the NFL. If they are able to get enough support from their fellow players and convince the NFL to make it happen, then we could see this change in the near future.

The NFL needs to make a formal announcement

In order for the Black National Anthem to be played in the NFL, the NFL would need to make a formal announcement that they will be playing the song prior to games. This announcement would likely come from Roger Goodell, the Commissioner of the NFL. Different teams would then decide whether or not to play the Black National Anthem at their games. It is possible that some teams may choose not to play the song, while others may play it before every game.

Conclusion

No, the NFL is not going to play the Black national anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

This rumor seems to have originated from a misunderstanding of a statement made by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. In a video released on June 5th, 2020, in response to the death of George Floyd, Goodell said the NFL was “committed to continuing our work toward diversity, equality, and inclusion — and ensuring that all members of our society have equal opportunity.” He added that the NFL would be ” reviewing all aspects of our game andcommit[ing] to enhance our use of technology to better find ways for everyone to express themselves.” Some interpreted Goodell’s comments as a commitment to play the Black national anthem before every game in the upcoming season.

However, further clarification from an NFL spokesperson has made it clear that Goodell was not making any specific commitment beyond what has already been done in recent years — which is playing the song during select weeks and special events, such as Week 13 of the 2017 season which was commemorated as “Salute to Service.”

So while we can expect the NFL to continue its efforts towards diversity, equality, and inclusion, it does not appear that playing the Black national anthem will become a league-wide policy anytime soon.