English 10
“Lift Every Voice and Sing”
“The Star-Spangled Banner”
Your job is to examine Johnson’s “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” analyze it, explore how, even
though it was written prior to the Harlem Renaissance, it still conveys the sentiments of that time
period. Then, you will explore comparisons between what is considered the “Negro National
Hymn” and America’s national anthem.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, a national anthem is a “hymn or song expressing patriotic
sentiment and either governmentally authorized as an official national hymn or holding that
position in popular feeling. [. . .] The sentiments of national anthems vary, from prayers for the
monarchs to allusions to nationally important battles or uprisings.”
First, you need to analyze “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Start by reading it silently, then read it
out loud with your group (remember that it is a song and is meant to be heard). Then answer the
following questions to establish a deeper understanding of the piece.
1. Until when will they sing? Why do you think they would sing / what can singing do for them?
(lines 1-3)
2. Why is a “song full of the faith” paired with the past? Likewise, why is a “song full of hope”
paired with the present? (lines 7-10)
3. What do you think the “chastening rod” could be? (line 12)
4. What does line 13 mean: “Felt in the days when hope unborn had died”?
5. Why were tears “watered” when they “have come over”? (line 17-18)
6. What is the mood in line 17-20? How does the language convey this? How does the mood
change by line 25? How does the language convey this?
7. What is the path mentioned in line 27?
8. In the last three lines, why must they stand true to God? What is their “native land”? Why
must they stay true to their “native land”?
9. How, specifically, does the piece reflect the ideas and values of the Harlem Renaissance?
Now, reread the definition of a national anthem at the top of this document. Take a look at
“The Star-Spangled Banner.” Read it out loud with your group (remember that it is a song and is
meant to be heard). Then fill in the chart comparing the two pieces, making sure that your
responses are thorough and detailed.
“Lift Every Voice and Sing”
“The Star Spangled Banner”
How does the piece fit the
definition of a national
anthem? You may make a
bullet-pointed list of reasons,
but you need to be specific.
What attitude does the piece
convey about the people it
“speaks” for? How does it
effectively reflect the people it
represents?
Why would African Americans feel the need for a “supplemental” anthem? How / why is “Lift
Every Voice and Sing” a more fitting anthem for the group than “The Star-Spangled Banner”?
(Take another look at the definition of a national anthem at this point.)