Lift Every Voice and Sing 125th Anniversary Celebration

#"Lift E'very Voice" and Celebrate!

The Friends of Brentwood Library, Inc. and its founder and matriarch, Sharon Coon, invite you to celebrate the 125th anniversary of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" at free, public events February 12-16, 2025, at the Conference Center at Main Library and in other venues throughout Jacksonville.

Part of a nation-wide tribute, this community-wide celebration honors the roots of the iconic "Black National Anthem," in the city where it was created. Throughout the week, you will have the opportunity to experience "The Poor People's Campaign" Smithsonian Institution Exhibition; enjoy engaging speakers from Florida Humanities and their "Florida Talks" program and public dialogues about race relations and community building; catch a film screening with Jacksonville's own Norman Studios; root for local kids and teens in a Youth Piano Competition; meet local author and civil rights activist Rodney L. Hurst, Sr.; attend cultural celebrations in parks and museums in downtown and LaVilla; and more!

See the full schedule of events below or visit www.friendsofbrentwoodlibrary.com.

#Programs & Activities for Children 

Throughout February (Black History Month), all 21 Jacksonville Public Library locations will offer a special event program for children (ages 5-12) centered around "Lift Every Voice and Sing" and Jacksonville's native sons and world citizens, the Johnson brothers. Kids will read an uplifting story, discover the history of the song, explore the role it played in the Civil Rights Movement, and create their own affirmations to carry them into the future!

Featured Book: I Believe I Can, by Grace Byers. Note: Attendance is limited and is first-come, first-served. Please arrive early (check in starts 30 minutes prior to the start of the program). 

Find a Kids' Program Near You!

Registration Open: Youth Piano Competition 

Jacksonville youth are also invited to compete in the James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson Youth Piano Competition (deadline to apply: January 25). This prestigious competition not only commemorates the 125th Anniversary of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" - an anthem that has resonated across generations and holds a significant place in American history - but it also provides a platform for aspiring young pianists to showcase their talent, passion and dedication to the art of piano performance. For more information, visit our blog or call (904) 520-4194 or email jwjlifteveryvoice@gmail.com.

Join the 500-Voice Children's Choir

Students in grades 3-12 are encouraged to register for the 500-Voice Children's Choir, which performs the iconic song "Lift Every Voice and Sing" at the Bethel Baptist Church on Wednesday, February 12. Note: Students are required to learn all the lyrics and attend two rehearsals. Email jwjlevas@gmail.com or visit www.friendsofbrentwoodlibrary.com. 

Celebrate In Our Parks

The whole family is invited to Festival Celebrations on Saturday, February 15, from 12-4 p.m. at James Weldon Johnson Park (135 W. Monroe St.) and the Lift Every Voice and Sing Park (120 Lee St.). Or, stop by the Ritz Theatre and LaVilla Museum (829 N. Davis St.) on Saturday, February 16, from 2-3:30 p.m. for fun family activities, prizes, food and art vendors, and more. You can also take a free tour of the museum, including the "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" exhibition (part of the permanent collection).

#Full Schedule of Events

Day One:

Wednesday, February 12

The Poor People Campaign Exhibition (Smithsonian Institution)
A Virtual Presentation by Dory Lerner
9 a.m. | Hicks Auditorium

For over 20 years, Dory Lerner has created engaging experiences in museums, schools, libraries, and community centers. As the Education Manager at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee, she develops programs and curricula to engage learners of all ages, connect them with history and to encourage community building. She previously worked at MOSH in Jacksonville, the Lichterman Nature Center in Memphis, the King Center in Atlanta, as well as the Field Museum and DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago. 

 

100 Years of Black Voter Suppression in Florida 
Public Dialogue with guest speaker James Abraham (Florida Talks, Florida Humanities)
11 a.m. | Hicks Auditorium

James Abraham is a former journalist who now edits and publishes books. Founded in 2004, his Book-Broker Publishers has produced and edited more than 500 books in a variety of genres. Abraham is a writing coach, critic and lecturer. He conducted the longest-running race relations class in Charlotte County. A graduate of Oberlin College, Abraham is the author of Century: A People's History of Charlotte County.

 

Presentation: The Harry T. and Harriet V. Moore Story 
Sonya Moore, Museum Curator, Harry T. and Harriet V. Moore Museum in Mims, FL
12 p.m. | Multipurpose Room 1 (Limited Seating, Please RSVP)

In the early 1940s, Harry T. Moore organized the Florida state conference of the NAACP and significantly increased membership (he would later become its first paid executive secretary). He also formed the Progressive Voters' League in Florida in 1944. It's been said, "He understood the significance of the power of the vote. He understood... the power of the pen. He knew that [African Americans] had to have a voice and we had to have it by voting." In 1947, building on the U.S. Supreme Court case in which Marshall successfully argued against Texas "white primary" that excluded minority voters, Moore organized a letter writing campaign to help rebuff bills proposed in the Florida legislature that would effectively perpetuate white primaries. 

 

Enjoy Jazz and Food Trucks in the Park
12 p.m. | James Weldon Johnson Park (135 W. Monroe St.)

Break for lunch (own your own). Located outside the Library's main entrance on N. Laura St.

 

For Their Own Good: The Dark History and New Life of the Dozier School for Boys
Public Dialogue with guest speaker Ben Montgomery (Florida Talks, Florida Humanities)
2:15 - 3:30 p.m. | Hicks Auditorium

Ben Montgomery is a journalist and author of four nonfiction books, including the New York Times bestselling Grandma Gatewood's Walk. He was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and won the Dart Award and Casey Medal for a series for the Tampa Bay Times called "For Their Own Good" about abuse at Florida's oldest reform school. He founded the narrative journalism website Gangrey.com and helped launch the Auburn Chautauqua, a Southern writer collective. He lives in Tampa, Florida.

 

500-Voice Children's Choir: Lift Every Voice and Sing Ceremony
5:30 - 7 p.m. | Bethel Baptist Church, 215 Bethel Baptist St.

"Lift Every Voice and Sing" was originally recited by a group of 500 students from the Edwin M. Stanton School in 1900. Note: Your child could be a part of history! Registration is open (now through February 3) to students in grades 3-12. Students are required to learn all the lyrics and attend two rehearsals. Rehearsal dates are Saturday, February 8 from 12 - 1:30 p.m. and Sunday, February 9, from 2-3:30 p.m. Email jwjlevas@gmail.com or visit www.friendsofbrentwoodlibrary.com. 

Day Two:

Thursday, February 13

African American Music Diaspora That Changed the World
Public Dialogue with guest speaker Deb McDuffie
10 a.m. | Hicks Auditorium

Credited with being the first Black female producer/composer in the advertising/record industries, Deb McDuffie is a multi-award-winning pioneer and a "behind the scenes" legend. She has composed for, produced and performed with superstars such as Luther Vandross, Gladys Knight, Al Green, Patti Labelle, Janet Jackson, Michael Bolton, Roberta Flack, Four Tops, MC Hammer, and many more. Since relocating to Jacksonville from New York City in 1996 to pursue a second career in education, Ms. McDuffie has been active in the community as Artistic Director for the Ritz Theatre & Museum, which includes "Ritz Voices," "Puttin' on the Ritz," as well as many other programs dedicated to providing arts events for the Jacksonville community. She is also active in local television, having served as a judge on WJXT's "Gimme the Mike" and most recently, "Oh Say Can You Sing."

 

Presentation: The Florida Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act
11 a.m. | Hicks Auditorium

Discussing The Florida Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the expansion of the Civil Rights Act of April 10, 1968, popularly known as the Fair Housing Act.

 

Luncheon & Documentary Film Screening with Former Senator Anthony "Tony" Hill
12 p.m. | Multipurpose Room 1 (Limited Seating, RSVP Required)

"Jacksonville: Then and Now" is an outreach education project of The Friends of the Brentwood Public Library, Inc. Created by the founder, Sharon Coon, to teach middle and high school students Black history through interviewing local trailblazers, it was produced in conjunction with "A Place for All People," the Smithsonian Institution Travel Exhibition which introduced the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Former Senator Hill is an American politician in the Democratic Party who served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1992-2000 and in the Florida Senate from 2002-2011. He also served as federal policy director in Jacksonville for Mayor Alvin Brown's administration.

 

How Race Affects Education
Presented by Felicia Gaines, Jacksonville NAACP Education Committee Chair
4:30 - 5:45 p.m. | Hicks Auditorium

Exploring educational disparities, systematic policies and practices, stereotypes, segregation and structural racism.

 

The Race Card: A 904Ward Presentation
Presented by Rianna Scyster, 904Ward Community Equity and Policy Manager
5:45 - 7 p.m. | Hicks Auditorium

This presentation is designed to facilitate honest, authentic discussions around race in a way that is accessible to everyone. The team at 904ward seek to end racism in Jacksonville and create racial healing and equity through deep conversations and learning, trusting relationships, and collective action. Scyster believes racial justice is essential because those who have been oppressed and marginalized deserver liberation and the chance to live without systemic barriers to opportunity.

Day Three:

Friday, February 14

The Flying Ace Film Screening and Discussion
Presented by Norman Studios
10 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Hicks Auditorium

The Flying Ace was inspired by Bessie Coleman, America's first Black female licensed pilot, with whom filmmaker Richard Norman had discussed making an aviation movie. Unfortunately, Coleman was killed in a plane crash in April 1926 while practicing for an air show at Jacksonville's Paxon Airfield. Norman based the character of Ruth Sawtelle on Coleman. He produced and released the film later that year. According to World War II historians, many of the young boys who would grow up to become the Tuskegee Airmen were inspired to fly by seeing the film. Norman Studios is Jacksonville's only surviving silent film studio (founded as Eagle Film City in 1916).

 

Luncheon with Civil Rights Activist and Author, Rodney L. Hurst, Sr.
12 - 1:15 p.m. | Multipurpose Room 1 (Limited Seating, Please RSVP)

When eleven-year old Rodney Hurst accepted his American History teacher's invitation to join the Jacksonville NAACP Youth Council, he could not have guessed at the enormous impact it would have on his life, Jacksonville history or the Civil Rights Movement. Hurst's book, It Was Never About a Hot Dog and a Coke®, released in January 2008, is subtitled "A Personal Account of the 1960 Sit-In Demonstrations in Jacksonville, Florida and Ax Handle Saturday" recounts the events leading up to and the fallout from the bloody events of August 27, 1960. A book signing will follow the presentation.

 

A Motion Picture Paradise: A History of Florida's Film and Television Industry
Presented by David Morton (Florida Talks, Florida Humanities)
1:30 - 2:45 p.m. | Hicks Auditorium

David Morton received his Ph.D. in Texts and Technology from the University of Central Florida in 2019, where he is also an instructor in both History and Media Studies. He was a recipient of the 2016-17 Fulbright Scholarship and serves as program director for the Flickering Landscapes Conference Series. His book, A Motion Picture Paradise! A History of Florida's Film and Television Industry was published by the University of Florida Press in July 2024.

 

The Battle of Olustee - The Black Soldiers of the United States
Guest speaker James Abraham (Florida Talks, Florida Humanities)
2:45 - 4 p.m. | Hicks Auditorium

The Battle of Olustee or the Battle of Ocean Pond was fought in Baker County, Florida on February 20, 1864, during the American Civil War. It was the largest battle fought in Florida during the war. Union General Truman Seymour had landed troops at Jacksonville, aiming chiefly to disrupt Confederate food supply. Meeting little resistance, he proceeded towards the state capital of Tallahassee (against orders), assuming that he would face only the small Florida militia. Confederates in Charleston sent reinforcements under General Alfred H. Colquitt and the two armies collided near Ocean Pond in Olustee. Union forces were repulsed and retreated to Jacksonville. Some were garrisoned there to occupy territory. Other troops were transferred to other, more active areas.

Day Four:

Saturday, February 15

James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson Youth Piano Competition
10 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Hicks Auditorium

The competition will be followed by an awards ceremony. 

 

An Interactive Narrative Journey: Exploring Identity Through Choices
Presented by Regina Edwards, M. Ed. DTM (Authors Roundtable)

11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. | Multipurpose Room 1

A Creative performance and presentation inspired by Along this Way: The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man, by James Weldon Johnson, designed to engage all ages with live narration, projected illustrations, and audience participation. Created and facilitated by Regina Edwards, President of Authors Roundtable of Northeast Florida. She is also the creator of Ant DivaMo and author of Happy Day: A Book Film Animation Project.

 

Festival Celebration
12 - 4 p.m. | James Weldon Johnson Park (135 W. Monroe St.) and
12 - 4 p.m. | Lift Every Voice and Sing Park (120 Lee St.)

A cultural celebration highlighting the legacy of Jacksonville's native sons and world citizens, the Johnson brothers, and the impact of their iconic song. Today's events feature poetry, dance, music, theatre, speakers, arts and food.

 

Unsung Heroes On Canvas Exhibition and "Little Harlem of the South" Concert
5:30 - 6:15 p.m. Art Reception and Silent Auction | Pre-function Gallery (Hallway)
6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Musical Concert | Hicks Auditorium

Festivities at the Conference Center at the Main Library will conclude with a musical concert as well as an "Unsung Heroes On Canvas" exhibition by Jacksonville Youth Artists, a reception and a silent auction.

Day Five:

Sunday, February 16

"A World Day of Worship"
9:30 a.m. | Bethel Baptist Church

Sunday Morning Service, with Bishop Rudolph McKissick, Jr., Senior Pastor.

 

#Remembering The Johnson Brothers

"Lift Every Voice and Sing" was written by James Weldon Johnson and later set to music by his brother, J. Rosamond Johnson. At the time, James was the principal of Edwin M. Stanton School here in Jacksonville, FL. What began as a poem in commemoration of Abraham Lincoln's birthday, turned into a hymn themed around the struggles of African Americans following the Reconstruction Era and the passage of Jim Crow laws in the South. In 1917, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) began to promote the song as the "Black National Anthem." It became a beacon during the Civil Rights Movement and has come back into prominence in recent years. 

#You May Also Like...

History Chat: Rethinking James Weldon Johnson at Home & Abroad

Many know James Weldon Johnson as an educator, lawyer and NAACP leader. He was also a key figure of the Harlem Renaissance, a diplomat and civil rights leader who traveled beyond U.S. borders to build solidarity with other people of color and marginalized groups around the world. At home and abroad, Johnson fought against Jim Crow segregation, imperialism and other structures of oppression. This March, explore his impact on Jacksonville and the genealogy of Black transnational activism that has shaped the U.S.  

Saturday, March 8, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. | Main Library (Ansbacher Map Room, Fourth Floor)

RSVP now!

This program is made possible by a grant from the Mellon Foundation.

Guest speaker Dr. Felicia Bevel is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of North Florida. Her research and teaching interests include African American history, 20th-century U.S. history, cultural history, and childhood studies. Her work has been supported by the Ford Foundation, the American Council of Learned Societies, and the Florida Education Fund. At UNF, she teaches courses such as The Civil Rights Movement, The Black Pacific, and Blackness and Archives, and has served on the advisory boards of the Digital Humanities Institute and Africana Studies. She holds a Ph.D. in American Studies from Brown University and a B.A. in Sociology (with a concentration in African American Studies) from Columbia University.

Civic Orchestra of Jacksonville: Civil War to Civil Rights (Free Concert)

Celebrate our nation's history as the Civic Orchestra of Jacksonville performs music that help to marked our path towards civil rights. A not-for-profit volunteer classical music orchestra, their mission is to provide symphonic music for all. Conductor Dr. Marguerite Richardson has served as a full-time violinist in the Jacksonville Symphony and Associate Conductor of the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestra. Currently, she is Associate Professor of Strings at Jacksonville University.

• Saturday, March 8, 4 - 5 p.m. | Conference Center at Main Library
• Sunday, March 9, 4 - 5 p.m. | Terry Concert Hall, Jacksonville University

Repertoire includes:

• Aaron Copeland - "Lincoln Portrait"
• James W. Johnson & J. Rosamond Johnson - "Lift Every Voice and Sing"
• Margaret Bonds - "Montgomery Variations" (selections)
• James P. Johnson - "Harlem Symphony"