<p>Historian Lloyd Washington has worked to raise awareness among younger African Americans of the 1919 song that has served as the official song of the NAACP and the unofficial "Black National Anthem," and credits Beyonce for a performance that introduced the BLM generation to the song. </p>
Rep. James Clyburn Proposes To Make Lift Ev ry Voice and Sing The National Hymn
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Rep. James Clyburn has filed a bill in Congress that would make Lift Ev ry Voice And Sing the U.S. national hymn.
Stefani Reynolds / Getty Images
For more than 100 years Lift Ev ry Voice and Sing has been known as the Black national anthem. Rep. James Clyburn says it s time for it to be honored as the national hymn, and on Jan. 13, he filed a bill to try to make that official.
Clyburn told
USA Today that making it a national hymn would help unite Americans.