A controversial decision affecting next month’s Super Bowl LVIII game has ignited fierce debate on social media.
Grammy-winning R&B singer Andra Day has been scheduled as part of the entertainment lineup for the pregame activities at this year’s Super Bowl set to be played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday, Feb. 11.
Day will reportedly deliver a rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which is called the black national anthem.
Peace & Blessings!!! Performing the Anthem at the SuperBowl yall! Grateful! Thank You God 🤗🙏🏾 💚
See you on February 11th 🔥 @RocNation
📺: #SBLVIII on @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/VEKu8vNsTy
— Andra Day (@AndraDayMusic) January 18, 2024
“Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter, activist and acclaimed actress Andra Day will sing ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing,'” the league announced. “The national anthem and ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ will be produced and arranged by Emmy Award-winning Musical Director/Producer Adam Blackstone.”
The lineup also includes Reba McEntire singing the actual national anthem and Post Malone delivering his rendition of “America the Beautiful.”
Beginning with Super Bowl LV in 2021, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” has been played at each annual championship game since then, setting off praise and criticism alike.
This year’s announcement was met with an outcry as well, as many took to social media to slam the pandering. Of course, supporters of the NFL’s decision, like the 1619 Project’s Nikole Hannah-Jones argued there is already a “White national anthem.”
“The white national anthem is played. It was written by a racist enslaver who believed Black people were inferior and fought abolitionists in the courts,” she wrote on X in response to a user comment as she denigrated Francis Scott Key’s “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
The white national anthem is played. It was written by a racist enslaver who believed Black people were inferior and fought abolitionists in the courts. https://t.co/owDxUKoy7y https://t.co/TSuo4l89hE
— Ida Bae Wells (@nhannahjones) January 20, 2024
It did not become our national anthem until the 1930s partially because the song itself has racist lyrics. You all really should not boast your historical ignorance so loudly in an effort to constantly be aggrieved about the country you remain atop of.
— Ida Bae Wells (@nhannahjones) January 20, 2024
Others, however, were vocal about their disagreement with the league.
“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. 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,” conservative commentator Charlie Kirk wrote on X.
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. The effort to create a “black… pic.twitter.com/RfaOBT2Uj1
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) January 19, 2024
“Bro, we’re American. Why tf do we need Lift Every Voice and Sing?” one user wrote on X in response to a post by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Bro, we’re American. Why tf do we need Lift Every Voice and Sing?
— PolkTheArtist (@PolkTheArtist) January 18, 2024
“When did Lift Every Voice become a part of our history? We have one national anthem if you’re an American. This nonsense is another reason people stopped watching @NFL,” another wrote.
“Sigh… While they’re at it, how about the University of Michigan fight song?” asked radio host Larry Elder.
The criticism and questioning of the NFL’s move continued to pour in on social media.
Let me get this straight. The NFL is using this stencil in the end zone and along the sidelines, in addition to anti racism and BLM mottos on helmets. Ok, I get it. Then they are singing the Black National Anthem at the Superbowl. If unity is the goal, why focus on a minority? pic.twitter.com/FdaC4ZkSlh
— Outdoorsy (@Wmoore1630) January 21, 2024
Just heard that the NFL will have 2 national anthems for the Superbowl…a black one(??) And the actual National Anthem….did not know we have 2. I thought we were all Americans…. another reason NOT to support them.
— Jeff Williams (@jswtucson1965) January 21, 2024
The @NFL did not learn their lesson from last year’s Superbowl. They plan to have the same “black national anthem” performed at this year’s Superbowl. There is only one national anthem for the United States of America and that ain’t it. #Superbowl #StopTheWokeMindVirus
— Banzai Badger 💚 (@Bonzai_Badger) January 20, 2024
After years of boycotting the NFL, I started watching again. Now they want to play the Black National Anthem at the Superbowl. What??😡😡
All of us other races and nationalities have ONE National Anthem but they have their own special one?? Racist & Dividing. 😡🏈🇺🇸 @NFL
Racist.— Angry American 😡🇺🇲 Resurrected (@_Sheare_) January 21, 2024
I thought we had one National Anthem for all Americans, now we want to use a black National Anthem at the Superbowl to further divide our nation 🤔 why not have different constitutions to appeal to those that want a different America? pic.twitter.com/BENR72ODAQ
— MBishop (@Michael44747798) January 21, 2024
