What Is the Black National Anthem in the NFL Context
"Lift Every Voice and Sing," written by James Weldon Johnson and set to music by his brother John Rosamond Johnson, is widely recognized as the Black national anthem. The song originated in 1900 and is performed at various NFL events, including pregame ceremonies, Black History Month observances, and community initiatives. The NFL has featured the song during select games and league-wide programming tied to diversity and inclusion efforts. For background on the song and its history, see the NAACP page on the anthem NAACP history of Lift Every Voice and Sing.
In the NFL, the Black national anthem is part of broader pregame and in-game programming that includes the national anthem, team introductions, and musical performances. The league's broadcast partners, including NBC, CBS, Fox, and ESPN/ABC, have aired performances tied to cultural observances. The NFL's media rights deals with these networks, valued at tens of billions of dollars over multiyear terms, shape when and how such performances reach viewers. Details on the NFL's current broadcast agreements are available via the NFL's official site NFL media rights partners.
Who Performs the Black National Anthem at NFL Events
Performers vary by game, event, and year, with the NFL inviting artists, choirs, and cultural organizations to sing "Lift Every Voice and Sing" at selected games. The league has featured soloists, gospel ensembles, and historically Black college and university (HBCU) marching bands during pregame and halftime segments. The NFL's talent and production teams coordinate with broadcast partners to schedule these performances across the regular season, playoffs, and special events such as the Super Bowl. Information on current performers and event lineups is typically released through team and league communications.
Recent seasons have seen the NFL highlight Black artists and HBCU programs in connection with the song, aligning with broader league initiatives on racial equity and community investment. The NFL Foundation, the league's charitable arm, supports programs that connect music, education, and social justice, and some of these programs feature performances of the Black national anthem. The NFL Foundation's community initiatives are documented on its official site NFL Foundation community programs.
NFL Policy, Broadcast Reach, and Sponsorship Around the Black National Anthem
The NFL's policy on anthem-related performances, including the Black national anthem, is shaped by league rules, broadcast agreements, and team input. The league does not publish a single centralized schedule for every performance, but teams and broadcast partners announce selected games and events where the song will be featured. The NFL's current media rights structure, with deals spanning multiple networks and streaming platforms, ensures wide reach for these segments across the United States. The league's official policy and game-day operations details are available on the NFL operations page NFL operations and game-day policies.
Sponsors and partners, including companies in automotive, financial services, and technology, often align campaigns with NFL cultural programming, including observances tied to the Black national anthem. The NFL's partnership portfolio includes brands that support diversity and inclusion initiatives, and some of these campaigns feature the song in advertising and in-game content. For current sponsor information and partnership categories, see the NFL's official partnerships page NFL official partners and sponsors.