Songs for Juneteenth – “Lift Every Voice & Sing,” “Stand Up,” & Others.

Often referred to as the "Black National Anthem," Lift Every Voice and Sing was written as a poem by James Weldon Johnson in 1900. His brother, J. Rosamond Johnson, later composed the music. The song was first performed publicly on February 12, 1900, by a choir of 500 students at the segregated Stanton School in Jacksonville, Florida, where James Weldon Johnson served as principal, as part of a celebration of Abraham Lincoln's birthday. Over time, the hymn became a powerful expression of Black resilience, hope, faith, and the ongoing struggle for freedom, and it was later adopted by the NAACP as its official song.

Songs Often Featured in Juneteenth Celebrations and Commemorations

• "Lift Every Voice and Sing"

• "O Freedom"

• "Siyahamba" ("We Are Marching in the Light of God")

• "We Shall Overcome"

• "Freedom Is Coming"

• "Goodness Is Stronger than Evil"

• "Stand Up" (from the film Harriet), performed by Cynthia Erivo