Billie Dee Tate

African / Black National Anthems Billie Dee Tate

This book is about the major African/Black national anthems, which comprise those of African countries; countries with majority African/Black populations; the African American National Anthem, also called The Negro National Hymn; and the Universal Ethiopian Anthem, also known as The Universal Negro Anthem. For each anthem, its title, name(s) of the writer(s) of the lyrics and year written, name(s) of the composer(s) of the music and year composed, year(s) adopted, lyrics of the anthem, and a brief analysis of the lyrics are provided. These are followed by references. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a national anthem as a "patriotic song or hymn; one adopted officially and played or sung on formal occasions as a mark of loyalty to the nation" (Merriam-Webster, 2016). Each country has a unique anthem, sung in a different way, with different melodies and tempos. These anthems give outsiders a glimpse of the country and its indigenes something tangible that separates them from the rest of the world. A national anthem, in many ways, establishes a nation's independence.