Why Are People Hating on the Black National Anthem?

Greetings, Meteor readers,

It’s a snowy day in my corner of the world—which was actually quite lovely until I got the dreaded “daycare is closed” email. So please enjoy today’s email, co-written by my 363-day-old newborn.

In today’s newsletter, we remember the history of the Black National Anthem, dissect our least favorite Super Bowl commercial, and stare (respectfully) at Bad Bunny.

Love and snowballs,

Shannon Melero

WHAT’S GOING ON

Anthems on anthems: Depending on when (or if) you tuned into Sunday’s big game, you may have missed the delightful Andra Day performing “Lift Every Voice and Sing” ahead of Post Malone “singing” America the Beautiful. But you know who definitely did not miss Day’s performance? Megyn Kelly, who had a next-level meltdown about the singing of what is known as the Black National Anthem. On Sunday, she tweeted, “The so-called Black National Anthem does not belong at the Super Bowl. We already have a National Anthem and it includes EVERYONE.”

You mad, babe?

Well, it is Black History Month, so let’s get historical. “Lift Every Voice and Sing” was written by poet James Weldon Johnson and set to music in 1899 by his brother John Rosamund Johnson. James had originally set out to write a poem commemorating Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, but instead found words to describe the struggle of Black people in America, from enslavement to the dawn of Jim Crow in the 1870s. The song grew in popularity as it was sung in schools, churches, and social gatherings, eventually becoming the NAACP’s official song in 1919. During the civil rights movement, it was sung during organizing meetings, extending its reach and cementing itself as a politicized hymn.

So, how did it make it to the Super Bowl? We partially have Colin Kaepernick, Eli Harold, and Eric Reid to thank for that (who, it’s worth noting, are all former 49ers players, and their mistreatment is the reason that franchise will never win a championship again, IMO). After being blackballed by the league for their initial 2016 kneeling protests, Kaepernick and his supporters shone an enormous light on racial tensions in the NFL. Arguably, that’s when the pressure began for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to do literally anything to respond to fan discontent and player complaints. In 2020, Goodell’s efforts to sweep the incident under the rug blew back in his face with the prominence of Black Lives Matter and the murder of George Floyd.

Once it was clear the tide was turning against the NFL, Goodell apologized and announced that “Lift Every Voice and Sing” would be played during the first week of the 2020 season and be featured at the Super Bowl as a show of good faith and unity with Black players going forward. For many, the response rang hollow, particularly in the face of the league’s historically racist hiring practices.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: ELI HAROLD, COLIN KAEPERNICK, ERIN REID KNEELING BEFORE A THE START OF A RAMS GAME IN 2016.  (PHOTO BY MICHAEL ZAGARIS VIA GETTY IMAGES)

Since then, the song has remained part of the Super Bowl’s pre-game programming and has been sung by Alicia Keys, Mary Mary, and Sheryl Lee Ralph. But Megyn and others of her ilk might be right about one thing: While the Black National Anthem belongs everywhere, it might not be for everyone. It’s decidedly not for racism deniers.

AND:

• Do you have a moment to talk about some people’s lord and savior, Jesus Christ? The folks behind those “Jesus. He Gets Us” ads at the Super Bowl certainly did. But it’s not all loaves and fishes behind those friendly images of foot-washing and neighbor-loving. While the ads highlight the pro-acceptance messaging of the Bible, the group paying millions for these ads is the Green family—owners of Hobby Lobby (which took its lawsuit against contraception to the Supreme Court) and funders of a swath of anti-trans legislation. As a reverend’s daughter and practicing Muslim, it behooves me to point out two things. The first is that the far right is working overtime to present a version of Jesus that is historically (and biblically!) inaccurate. (I recommend reading Zealot by Reza Aslan if you’re curious about the real Jesus—a political dissident.) The second is that actively working to strip women and queer people of their rights is antithetical to the core teachings of Christ. So He may get us, but the Greens? They need to go back to Sunday school.

• Over the weekend, the city of Rafah—which was supposed to be the last safe zone in Gaza, according to the Israeli military—became the target of airstrikes that destroyed areas teeming with children. The Israeli Defense Force has ordered those still alive to evacuate immediately as the ground attack in Rafah increases, but the same question looms with every evacuation order: Where are they supposed to go? What is happening in Gaza continues to be a humanitarian disaster, and multiple groups, including Unicef, have called for a ceasefire. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the Senate has voted to pass a $95 billion aid package to support Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan; the bill now goes to the House

PALESTINIANS FLEEING RAFAH WITH ALL OF THEIR REMAINING POSESSIONS. (PHOTO BY ABED ZAGOUT VIA GETTY IMAGES)

• The time has come to find out who will replace George Santos as the representative for New York’s third congressional district. Will it be anti-abortion Republican Mazi Melesa Pilip or wishy-washy Democrat Tom Suozzi? The polls are open until 9 tonight. Go vote!

• It turns out that a common and often undiagnosed condition, PCOS, can have more severe consequences on women’s mental health than had been previously thought.

• A new safety feature on the ridesharing app Lyft is making it possible for women and non-binary riders and drivers to be matched with each other.

• I don’t know anything about fashion, but I know Bad Bunny looks good in Jacquemus.

I WOULD WALK AWAY FROM MY WHOLE LIFE FOR THIS MAN. (SCREENSHOT VIA INSTAGRAM) 

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