Latest news with #LiftEveryVoiceandSing
Fox News
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Black national anthem divides fans before NFL Draft
Before the Tennessee Titans officially selected Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick of the NFL Draft on Thursday night, the Black national anthem was performed on stage in Green Bay. The James Weldon Johnson Foundation's "National Hymn Choir" sang "Lift Every Voice and Sing." NFL fans waiting for the draft to begin took it all in before NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Green Bay Packers greats and Lil' Wayne came out on stage. Social media were left bewildered by the rendition. The Black national anthem has been a mainstay for NFL events since the 2020 season, following a summer of racial tensions across the U.S. The song has been performed at Super Bowls and draft events. Ledisi, a Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter, performed the song before Super Bowl LIX before the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. The NAACP began to promote "Lift Every Voice and Sing" as the Black national anthem in 1917. Ward was the No. 1 pick in the draft after a solid performance with the Miami Hurricanes in his final season in college. The Jacksonville Jaguars then traded up with the Cleveland Browns to select Travis Hunter. The New York Giants selected Abdul Carter, and the New England Patriots took Will Campbell. The Browns decided to take Mason Graham to round out the top five. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Daily Mail
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS NFL fans fume over 'gentrified' rendition of black national anthem at 2025 draft
The NFL choral rendition of the so-called 'black national anthem' at the 2025 Draft had fans seething. A Milwaukee-based choir, the James Weldon Johnson Foundation's 'National Hymn Choir', performed 'Lift Every Voice and Sing,' ahead of the draft in Green Bay Thursday night. The choral arrangement was accompanied by a simple pianist in front of the throngs of fans gathered at Lambeau Stadium. But fans back home were left seething over the 'gentrified' rendition of the song. 'They got whites singing Lift Every Voice and Sing? They done gentrified the Black national anthem,' one furious social media user posted.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Here's a look at the schedule for opening day of the NFL Draft in Green Bay
Fans are arriving in Green Bay as the NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday. Events are scheduled throughout the day, including prospects walking the red carpet on Lambeau Field. If you're not in Green Bay, you can still watch the NFL Draft, which will be televised across multiple platforms. Here's what you need to know about Thursday's opening day schedule. Red carpet: The evening begins with prospects walking the red carpet on Lambeau Field at about 4 p.m., as fans watch from the stadium bleachers. Portions will be televised as part of NFL Network's 'NFL Draft Kickoff' with Kimmi Chex interviewing prospects. Opening festivities from the draft stage: A Wisconsin-based youth choir will perform 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' under the direction of Dr. Jeffrey Redding. Singer-songwriter Stephen Wilson Jr., from rural southern Indiana, will perform the national anthem. The Wisconsin Army National Guard will conduct a flyover of Lambeau Field and the Draft Theater with four Black Hawk helicopters. Packers legends and current players will join NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to welcome fans. Chances of thunderstorms and showers are forecasted for early morning Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. The first day of the draft is expected to see temperatures in the low 60s and a light breeze of up to 10 miles per hour. Forecasters are predicting rain on April 25 after 5 a.m. with skies clearing up early to mid-afternoon, according to the NWS. The NFL Draft starts April 24 and runs through April 26. You can find more NFL Draft coverage here. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: NFL Draft 2025: Opening day Thursday schedule in Green Bay
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
UW Marching Band, Jordy Nelson, bike parade, national anthem singer announced for NFL draft festivities at Lambeau
GREEN BAY - The NFL has announced a round of entertainment and other activities planned for the draft in Green Bay, but specifics are still to come on some on concert performers and other participants. Here's how the draft, which will be hosted April 24-26 by Lambeau Field and the Titletown district, is shaping up. Red carpet: The evening begins with prospects walking the red carpet on Lambeau Field at about 4 p.m., as fans watch from the stadium bleachers. Portions will be televised as part of NFL Network's 'NFL Draft Kickoff' with Kimmi Chex interviewing prospects. Opening festivities from the draft stage: A Wisconsin-based youth choir will perform 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' under the direction of Dr. Jeffrey Redding. Singer-songwriter Stephen Wilson Jr., from rural southern Indiana, will perform the national anthem. The Wisconsin Army National Guard will conduct a flyover of Lambeau Field and the Draft Theater with four Black Hawk helicopters. Packers legends and current players will join NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to welcome fans. Thirty-two NFL legends and players from the 2000 draft class will announce selections to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the class. The evening will also spotlight legends and players with ties to Wisconsin. Participants include Lynn Swann, Jordy Nelson, Joe Thomas, Jonathan Taylor and Dante Hall. After the third round of selections, the evening will end with a drone show as part of the NFL Draft Concert Series. The final day of the draft will offer a family-friendly day of activities to celebrate Wisconsin's culture and community. Bike parade: Young fans can participate in the Green Bay tradition by riding their bikes around the NFL Draft Experience before gates open. NFL Farmer's Market: A celebration of local vendors, where fans can enjoy a taste of Wisconsin. Wisconsin Humane Society onstage puppy adoptions Military enlistment ceremony: A tribute to those who serve. Oneida Smoke Dancers University of Wisconsin Marching Band Polka band and dance group Cheese-carving demonstration: Artists transform cheese into intricate works of art. Packers legends: They'll share stories and memories of their time in Green Bay. Surprise celebrity guests: Appearances by 'beloved local personalities and celebrities.' NFL Draft Concert Series: The finale to the draft will be a free concert in the Draft Theater. The headliner will be announced in the coming days, according to the NFL release. It will be free, with admission on a first-come, first-served basis. More: From the curb to center stage, how a Wisconsin artist turned discarded furniture into 32 team logos for the NFL draft More: Here are the 68 Wisconsin vendors you'll find at a special edition of Saturday Farmers Market during the NFL draft The NFL draft is free to attend. Adults age 18 and up need to download the NFL OnePass app and register to attend. On OnePass, each adult can register up to five children to attend the draft with them. For those without a smartphone, you can sign up on a desktop computer, too. The NFL directs you to send an email to OnePass@ or to visit April 24 Draft Experience: noon-10 p.m. Draft Theater: 5-11 pm. April 25 Draft Experience: noon-10 p.m. Draft Theater: 5-11 p.m. April 26 Draft Experience: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Draft Theater: noon-7 p.m. Kendra Meinert is an entertainment and feature writer at the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Contact her at 920-431-8347 or kmeinert@ Follow her on X @KendraMeinert. This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: NFL announces anthem singer, bike parade for 2025 draft in Green Bay
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Performing groups, local leaders add 'spark' to Black History Month celebration
The past, present and future contributions of Black county residents were cause for celebration on Thursday at the Frederick County government's third annual Black History Month program. The county's event took place against a backdrop of a national policy shift with respect to diversity, equity and inclusion — a fact County Executive Jessica Fitzwater acknowledged in her prepared remarks. 'Unlike what we are seeing from some of our federal agencies, Black History Month is not cancelled here in Frederick County,' Fitzwater said, referring to recent decisions by the U.S. Departments of Transportation and Defense to stop observing cultural awareness days or months. 'Celebrating our communities — especially so many that have historically and often intentionally been left out of the spotlight — is an easy decision for Frederick County government,' she said. Elected officials, youth leaders, performing arts groups and representatives of nonprofit organizations all played a role in Thursday's program, which took place at Winchester Hall. The evening opened with musical performances by the Frederick County Mass Choir of both 'The Star-Spangled Banner' and 'Lift Every Voice and Sing.' Often referred to as the Black national anthem, 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' is adapted from a 1900 poem written by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson and was used as a protest song during the American Civil Rights Movement. Many in the audience on Thursday raised their hands or swayed in time with the song. Rhonda Tessier, the co-president of Friends of Catoctin Furnace, gave a presentation about the enslaved and free Black people who worked in often dangerous conditions at the historic iron furnace near Thurmont. County Council Vice President Kavonté Duckett — who in 2022 became the first African American elected to a Frederick County government office — gave a speech honoring pillars of Frederick's Black community such as Gary and Denise Rollins of the Rollins Life Celebration Center, and Darren Sheffield of the MIDAR companies. 'Their success stories and so many others are a testament to the resilience, strength and entrepreneurial spirit that continues to drive our economy forward,' Duckett said. Three members of the Frederick Youth Council showed a video they produced that explores historic landmarks in the city of Frederick, such as the historically Black Asbury United Methodist Church and the Mountain City Elks Lodge, which from 1919 to 1928 was the site of a 15-bed hospital for African Americans. Sonja Brown-Jenkins, who serves on the board of directors for the African American Resources Cultural and Heritage (AARCH) Society, spoke about the organization's work preserving and promoting Black culture in Frederick County. The organization's work includes providing walking tours of the All Saints Street area — once known as the Black hub of Frederick County — and curating the future African American Heritage Center, which will have its groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, Brown-Jenkins said. Choreographed numbers from the Walkersville High School step group and a Leading Edge Academy of Dance team rounded out the Black History Month program Thursday evening. In an interview after the event, Trish Kitcher, co-captain of the Walkersville Step Group, said the group became an official organization last year, but has been together unofficially since 2022. Suri Kang, another co-captain, said the group sees step as both an expression of Black culture and a way to engage other minority student groups at Walkersville High School, adding that they 'bring a spark' to the community. Lakisha Wade, the city of Frederick's manager of equity and inclusion, came to Thursday's event as part of the mayor's contingent, but said she likely would have attended either way. In an interview, Wade said she appreciated the organizers placing equal emphasis on the historical and cultural elements of the event. 'A lot of times people are used to performances,' she said. 'But I'm glad they took the time to place great meaning and respect on the history.'
