IB 
House Calendar No. 81 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 301 
[Report No. 117–358] 
To amend title 36, United States Code, to establish the composition known 
as ‘‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’’ as the national hymn of the United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 13, 2021 
Mr. CLYBURN (for himself, Mr. LAWSON of Florida, Mr. AGUILAR, Ms. WIL-
SON of Florida, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Ms. BASS, Mr. THOMPSON of Mis-
sissippi, Mr. TORRES of New York, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. HORSFORD, Mr. 
RUSH, Ms. JACOBS of California, Ms. TLAIB, Mrs. LURIA, Ms. JOHNSON 
of Texas, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. VEASEY, Mr. SUOZZI, Mr. 
EVANS, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. STANTON, Ms. STEVENS, Mr. LIEU, 
Mr. KHANNA, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. CARSON, Ms. WASSERMAN 
SCHULTZ, Ms. DAVIDS of Kansas, Mr. KILMER, Mr. COHEN, Ms. ROSS, 
Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. SOTO, Mr. NORCROSS, Ms. NORTON, Ms. SEWELL, 
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Ms. MENG, and Ms. 
SLOTKIN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on the Judiciary 
JUNE 7, 2022 
Additional sponsors: Ms. BUSH, Ms. DEAN, Mr. JEFFRIES, Mr. SAN NICOLAS, 
and Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia 
JUNE 7, 2022 
Reported with an amendment, referred to the House Calendar, and ordered 
to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 13, 2021] 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:40 Jun 08, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6652
E:\BILLS\H301.RH
H301
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
A BILL 
To amend title 36, United States Code, to establish the 
composition known as ‘‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’’ as 
the national hymn of the United States. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:40 Jun 08, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6652
E:\BILLS\H301.RH
H301
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) ‘‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’’ is a beloved 
hymn that is currently produced and distributed by 
approximately 40 religious publishing houses through-
out the United States. 
(2) ‘‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’’ is regularly 
sung at various religious services and choir perform-
ances at community and cultural events to commemo-
rate the struggles that have accompanied our Nation’s 
‘‘pursuit of a more perfect Union’’. 
(3) James Weldon Johnson wrote the poem ‘‘Lift 
Every Voice and Sing’’ in 1899 to celebrate the anni-
versary of President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, 
and his brother, J. Rosamond Johnson, set the poem 
to music. 
(4) ‘‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’’ was first per-
formed on February 12, 1900, by a choir of 500 
school children from the Stanton School in the John-
sons’ hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, where James 
Weldon Johnson served as the principal. 
(5) In 1905, Booker T. Washington’s recognition 
of ‘‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’’ helped to make it a 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:40 Jun 08, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H301.RH
H301
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
very popular song in Black communities throughout 
the United States. 
(6) In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt named 
James Weldon Johnson to diplomatic positions in 
Venezuela and Nicaragua, and when he returned to 
the United States, he became affiliated with the 
NAACP. 
(7) In the 1920s, the NAACP chose ‘‘Lift Every 
Voice and Sing’’ as its official song and it was 
dubbed the ‘‘Black National anthem’’. 
(8) In 1934, James Weldon Johnson, a graduate 
of Clark Atlanta University, became the first African- 
American professor at New York University, and later 
served in a similar capacity at Fisk University in 
Nashville, Tennessee. 
(9) The lyrics of ‘‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’’ 
inspired the 16 foot sculpture, ‘‘The Harp’’ created by 
the renowned artist Augusta Savage and commis-
sioned by the 1939 New York World’s Fair. 
(10) ‘‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’’ is sung at 
gatherings of the Faith and Politics Institute, whose 
bipartisan programs and pilgrimages include partici-
pation by Members of Congress, and was co-chaired 
for many years by the late Congressmen, Democrat 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:40 Jun 08, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H301.RH
H301
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
John Lewis and Republican Amo Houghton, both of 
whom transitioned in 2020. 
SEC. 2. NATIONAL HYMN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 3 of title 36, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 306. National hymn 
‘‘The composition consisting of the words and music 
known as ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ is designated as the 
national hymn of the United States.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections for 
chapter 3 of title 36, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘306. National hymn.’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:40 Jun 08, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6213
E:\BILLS\H301.RH
H301
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
House Calendar No. 81 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 301 
[Report No. 117–358] 
A BILL 
To amend title 36, United States Code, to establish 
the composition known as ‘‘Lift Every Voice and 
Sing’’ as the national hymn of the United States. 
JUNE 7, 2022 
Reported with an amendment, referred to the House 
Calendar, and ordered to be printed 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:40 Jun 08, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6651
Sfmt 6651
E:\BILLS\H301.RH
H301
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS