Lift Every Voice And Sing | Davey Yarborough & Esther Williams | TEDxPearlStreet

Lift Every Voice and Sing is a song that was originally written as a poem by James Weldon Johnson in 1899 and set to music by his brother, J. Rosamond Johnson in 1900, when it was first performed by a youth choir of 500 school children in celebration of President Lincoln's Birthday on February 12 in Jacksonville, FL. Later the song was adopted by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) as its official song.

Today, Lift Every Voice and Sing is one of the most cherished songs of the African American Civil Rights Movement and is often referred to as the Black National Anthem.

This mesmerizing performance combines the smooth sounds of the jazz saxophone played by Davey Yarborough with the sensuous vocals of Esther Williams to create a one-of-a-kind rendition that includes moving photographs from the protests in Washington DC following the murder of George Floyd in 2020.

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS:

Davey Yarborough is the president and artistic director of The Washington Jazz Arts in The District of Columbia. In 2019, Davey retired from Duke Ellington School of the Arts after 30 years of service as jazz educator. His lifelong commitment to mentoring young musicians was recognized in 2018 when he was inducted into the Downbeat Jazz Educator Hall of Fame.

Esther Williams is a name you’re sure to remember once you’ve seen this sensuous, talented entertainer. Together, in 1998, Esther and her husband Davey Yarborough created the Washington Jazz Arts Institute, a non-profit organization with community programs, dedicated to educating and mentoring young and aspiring musicians, that has had a lasting impact on the state of jazz in Washington DC.

CREDITS:

Lyrics by James Weldon Johnson. Music by John Rosamond Johnson. Photos by Miki Jourdan, Rob Klug, Victoria Pickering, and Karen Ramsey. Creative Direction by Kim Cayce and Cory Lawrence.

All photos used with permission.
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