In celebration of Juneteenth becoming a federal holiday, we feature "Lift Every Voice and Sing," often referred to as the Black national anthem for its themes of emancipation and liberty. The piece was written in 1899 by James Weldon Johnson, and the next year, his brother John Rosemond Johnson composed the music. Learn more about the history of African American song from the Library of Congress, and enjoy this rendition of the song:
