The Black National Anthem was a priority for the Michigan legislature during yesterdays electoral vote session. Gretchen “Lockdown Queen of Doom” Whitmer couldn’t have been more pleased at the results. I’m surprised she didn’t do handsprings of glee.

“”Michigan has chosen a clear winner for the office of President of the United States, and for every elected office up and down that ballot. The people have spoken,” Whitmer said as she addressed electors.

“It was a safe, fair and secure election. It was the kind of election our founding fathers envisioned when they created this democracy and built this country. And after today, the results will be final,” she added.”

Yes, all sixteen electoral votes went to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. For Michigan, that was to be expected. What wasn’t expected was that TWO anthems would be played. Our country’s National Anthem, and the Black National Anthem. 

"Please remain standing for the National Anthem — and the Black National Anthem…" pic.twitter.com/vzkcgKeULM

— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) December 14, 2020

At least the legislature had the smarts to play our National Anthem FIRST. You know, the Democrats have been preaching all about unity and healing since the morning after the election. Joe Biden, when he’s not in his basement, has been preaching the same as well. We are being told to put aside our differences and move on. Let go of our Trumpism and embrace the new rebooted Obama normal! 

Besides, it isn’t the Democrats that are so angry. It’s all the Republicans, specifically the Trumpers…right? 

Then why the posturing and virtue signaling regarding the Black National Anthem? That’s super unifying! But not really. 

Quite frankly, the Michigan legislature is using the Black National Anthem as a political weapon. It was an ‘in your FACE!’ move by those politicians. It is and was as bad as the NFL deciding to virtue signal with it, and are now wondering why their fan base is leaving in droves. 

But let’s talk about the Black National Anthem for a minute. Let’s talk about its history. Let’s talk about who wrote the Black National Anthem, James Weldon Johnson, and WHY he wrote it. 

First of all, Johnson and his brother were raised by a mother who encouraged them to study everything they could, especially English literature. Johnson also, with the encouragement of his mother, studied the European music traditions. After graduation from Atlantic University, he started work as a high school principal in Jacksonville, Florida. 

In 1900, in honor of President Lincoln’s birthday, Johnson wrote “Lift Up Every Voice And Sing.” It didn’t take long for the song to become popular. Within the next twenty years, it was being sung up and down the entire Eastern seaboard. 

Here’s the kicker in all of this. If you read just the NAACP information about Johnson, or read other liberal pieces on him, key items regarding James Weldon Johnson and his brother, J. Rosamond are left out or glossed over. 

Today, would any black leader on the left write a song celebrating Abraham Lincoln’s birthday? Nope, not a chance. Secondly, by the time that song had gained such popularity, what were James and his brother J. Rosamond doing?

“By 1904 the Johnson Brothers had a string of ragtime hits and were well-known African American songwriters. In July of that year James became chairman of a newly-created organization—the Colored Republican Club of New York. It held its weekly meeting every Thursday at 138 West 53rd Street, across the street from the hotel where Johnson and his brother were living, and it became a huge success. According to The New York Sun:

“Now the Colored Republican Club…has almost a corner on the writers of ragtime….Among its 800 members are at least 200 trained singers and fifty men capable of caressing the piano. ‘I suppose no other organization not purely musical has so many musicians and composers as ours.'”” [Emphasis Added]

Wait, what??!! James and his brother, along with a 800 other ragtime artists and musicians were…REPUBLICAN??!! You don’t say. Oh, but there is more to the story. 

The brothers Johnson wrote a campaign song. For whom? Teddy Roosevelt during his 1904 campaign. Roosevelt considered “You’re Alright Teddy” a “bully good song.” It was one that became exceptionally popular through the entire campaign season.

Lyric sheet courtesy of TR Center, cropped

When the Colored Republican Club of New York held a campaign rally on behalf of Teddy Roosevelt, over 3,000 people attended. In today’s terms amplify that to 300,000 and you get the gist of the scope of support for President Roosevelt. 

Again, the writers of the Black National Anthem were solid staunch Republicans. Yet today, that history is being ignored and smothered because of favored narratives. 

This song is being weaponized while very real issues such as the on-going violence within the black communities is still ignored by the Democrat party. 

“Lift Every Voice And Sing” was written as a song of celebration on behalf of President Abraham Lincoln. Today it is being used as a wedge of divisiveness. 

The Michigan legislature attempted a gotcha moment by having two anthems sung. Given the author of the Black National Anthem was a staunch Republican, the jokes on them. 

Feature Photo Credit: Roosevelt Lincoln Mt Rushmore by ArtTower via Pixabay, cropped and modified