Poem written for Lincoln's birthday became Black National Anthem
In 34 lines, James Weldon Johnson told of the pain, anguish, frustration, faith and hope former slaves and their descendants experienced in a land and country they were forced to call home. He did it in “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” a poem that later became a song and is now widely referred to as the Black National Anthem. Johnson's manuscript is held at a Yale University library. It was written in Jacksonville, Florida, as part of a celebration in 1900 for President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday.
Johnson's brother composed the music. It has become a standard in Black churches and in Black History Month programs across the United States.
Read in depth: Politics
John Healey’s Budget: bank, gambling and online VAT measures among possible revenue options
BBC analysis examines ways the chancellor could raise money without increasing income tax rates ahead of the 28 October Budget. None of the measures discussed is a confirmed...
UK plans military aircraft support for wildfires ahead of first resilience summit
Fire services across the UK are set to be able to request RAF aircraft for difficult wildfires, alongside plans for specialist protective equipment and an AI unit.
Sources and context
ApnewsSource headline and summary supplied via NewsData.io. First collected by NewsJaws on 2026-10-21. This is an automated news brief, not original NewsJaws reporting. Dates reflect the source publication. Feed delays may apply.