TJMS: Black HBCU Professor Says Lift Every Voice And Sing ‘Divisive’
Roland Martin talks with Dr. Timothy Askew, Professor of English at Clark Atlanta University and graduate of Morehouse College about the Black National Anthem.
Askew believes that singing the Black National Anthem is divisive and makes African-Americans separatists. Askew explains that after research, he has found that many races sing this song as their own. Askew states that, Lift Every Voice and Sing never actually belonged exclusively to African-Americans.
During the interview Askew said, “… I just think that this title restricts, somehow, the meaning that the song can have for many people”. He goes on to express that Lift Every Voice and Sing can be the national anthem of many people.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
