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