by J. Rosamond Johnson and James Weldon Johnson

LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING TILL EARTH AND HEAVEN RING RING WITH THE HARMONIES OF LIBERTY LET OUR REJOICING RISE HIGH AS THE LISTENING SKIES LET IT RESOUND LOUD AS THE ROLLING SEA

SING A SONG FULL OF THE FAITH THAT THE DARK PAST HAS TAUGHT US SING A SONG FULL OF THE HOPE THAT THE PRESENT HAS BROUGHT US FACING THE RISING SUN OF OUR NEW DAY BEGUN LET US MARCH ON TILL VICTORY IS WON

STONY THE ROAD WE TROD

BITTER THE CHASTENING ROD

FELT IN THE DAYS WHEN HOPE UNBORN HAD DIED

YET WITH A STEADY BEAT

HAVE NOT OUR WEARY FEET

COME TO THE PLACE FOR WHICH OUR FATHERS SIGHED?

We HAVE COME OVER A WAY THAT WITH TEARS HAS BEEN WATERED We HAVE COME, TREADING OUR PATH THROUGH THE BLOOD OF THE SLAUGHTERED OUT FROM THE GLOOMY PAST TILL NOW WE STAND AT LAST WHERE THE WHITE GLEAM OF OUR BRIGHT STAR IS CAST

GOD OF OUR WEARY YEARS

GOD OF OUR SILENT TEARS

THOU WHO HAS BROUGHT US THUS FAR ON THE WAY

THOU WHO HAS BY THY MIGHT LED US INTO THE LIGHT

KEEP US FOREVER IN THE PATH, WE PRAY

LEST OUR FEET STRAY FROM THE PLACES, OUR GOD, WHERE WE MET THEE

LEST, OUR HEARTS DRUNK WITH THE WINE OF THE WORLD, WE FORGET THEE

SHADOWED BENEATH THY HAND

MAY WE FOREVER STAND

TRUE TO OUR GOD

TRUE TO OUR NATIVE LAND

OUR NATIVE LAND