February 12, 2022 was the 122nd anniversary of the first public rendition of “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing.” The event took place in Jacksonville, Florida, the birthplace of James and his brother, J. Rosamond Johnson, who composed the music for the song. The very first performance of the song happened on February 12, 1900, by five hundred school children in Jacksonville to commemorate Abraham Lincoln’s birthday.

The United States House of Representatives declared “Lift Ev ’ry Voice and Sing” the national hymn of the United States.
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