Black national anthem to be performed in front of Trump at Super Bowl

President Donald Trump is set to attend the Super Bowl in New Orleans on Sunday, which means he will watch a rendition of the Black national anthem.

Newsweek reached out to the White House and the NFL outside of regular working hours via email for comment.

Why It Matters

Trump’s anticipated attendance at this year’s Super Bowl sets a new precedent, as although several vice presidents have attended the super bowl, no sitting president has. He is set to be at the Caesars Superdome, when the Kansas City Chiefs will take on the Philadelphia Eagles.

What to Know

The hymn “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” adopted by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), is often referred to as the Black national anthem.

It will be performed this year’s Super Bowl by the Louisiana-born singer Ledisi.

The hymn was first written as a poem by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson in the late 1800s. It was then set to music by his brother, John Rosamond Johnson, and adopted by the NAACP as their official song in 1919.

The NFL began to incorporate the Black national anthem into its pre-game ceremonies in 2020, following protests against police brutality after the murder of George Floyd.

The performance of the anthem at the Super Bowl last year sent MAGA into a meltdown.

Former Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake responded to a picture showing her sitting down during a performance of the hymn by saying on X: “I’m STILL not standing for this divisive garbage. One nation. One anthem.”

Matt Gaetz said that he would not watch the Super Bowl at all, writing: “They’re desecrating America’s National Anthem by playing something called the ‘Black National Anthem.'”

This year will also be the first since 2021 that the Super Bowl will not feature the “End Racism” message written at the back of one of the end zones, and instead will include the phrases: “Choose Love” and “It Takes All Of Us.”

Kendrick Lamar is set to take the stage during the Super Bowl halftime show. It will be Lamar’s first solo performance at the Super Bowl, and it is the first time a solo rapper has headlined the halftime show.

What People Are Saying

Kendrick Lamar in a statement ahead of the Super Bowl: “Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date. And I’ll be there to remind the world why. They got the right one.”

Kristi Noem, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, on X: “DHS has protected the NFL Super Bowl for 20+ years. We’re working around the clock to ensure a safe and secure game day at the Superdome and in the city of New Orleans.”

What’s Next

The match will kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET and will air on FOX during Super Bowl 59.

The inclusion of the Black national anthem may well cause a stir among the MAGA contingent, and they will likely share their feelings about it on social media.

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