In a recent social media post that has now gone viral, a Florida educator introduced us to her students from a few years ago who left class with an unforgettable lesson.
You gotta keep reading if:
- you didn’t instantly know what video we were referring to, and
- your vibe is just unapologetically Black.
We’re telling you, this video is everything we didn’t know we needed during Black History Month!
Nadine Ebri, a teacher in Jacksonville, captured the radiating energy of her class as they sang ‘Lift Every Voice And Sing.’ The kids even put their own spin on it – and we are HERE for all the joy.
Busting out some dance moves and making drum beats on the desks, the students celebrated learning the Negro National Anthem for the first time.
A few years ago, I mentioned “Lift Every Voice and Sing” during class. To my surprise, many of my students had never heard of it before although it was written and composed right here in Jacksonville, FL. That day, lessons were put on hold for something greater
pic.twitter.com/q2GPDzOcif
— Nadine Ebri (@NadineEbri) February 4, 2022
According to Ebri, when she mentioned the anthem during class one day, she learned that much of the group had never heard of it.
“That day, lessons were put on hold for something greater ,” she tweeted.
The video, which has been shared thousands of times, sparked excitement from social media users who called it everything from “their new favorite remix of the Black National Anthem” to “Pure Black joy.”
Civil Rights Advocate and Attorney Ben Crump even reposted the moment on Twitter, saying “THIS is our future. These children are who we’re fighting for! We will not stop demanding reform, accountability, and RESPECT.”
But, the beautiful irony of it all is that the anthem’s roots were planted in these kiddos’ backyard — right in Jacksonville!
In 1900, brothers James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson wrote the lyrics and composed the song, which was to be sung at a Jacksonville celebration for Abraham Lincoln’s birthday that year. It was first performed at that event by a chorus of 500 Black school children, according to the James Weldon Johnson Foundation.
And in 2022, we love to see children continuing to learn the lyrics and the song’s impact… especially during Black History Month!
Really though, is there anything better than #BlackGirlMagic and #BlackBoyJoy? Show these students some love down below!
