The Negro National Anthem Controversy

Abstract

Recently, the Negro National Anthem has been the source of much controversy. For some Americans, it is a source of celebration of the rich black heritage and legacy. For others, it is a source of shame-an ugly remnant of our dark past that is no longer relevant today. The reading and singing of the Negro National Anthem has been a topic of discussion in the news, the black community, and in the legal and political professions. This article will look at the raging controversy. Specifically, this paper will look at the controversy surrounding the Negro National Anthem at the Texas Tech Law School Black Law Students Annual Banquet in 2009. It will explore the lessons the millennial black attorney could learn from this intergenerational song and the black experience.