Conversation so far:
who wrote the lyrics to the black national anthem
Author and activist James Weldon Johnson wrote the words of the Negro National Anthem as a poem, which his brother John then set to music.
when did james weldon johnson write the words to the black national anthem
Lift Every Voice and Sing was written by James Weldon Johnson at a pivotal time, when Jim Crow was replacing slavery and African-Americans were searching for an identity.
how did the song Lift Every Voice and Sing become the black national anthem
In 1905, Booker T. Washington endorsed Lift Every Voice And Sing, and in 1919, it became the official song of the NAACP.
when was Lift Every Voice and Sing first performed
Lift Every Voice and Sing was publicly performed first as a poem as part of a celebration of Abraham Lincoln's birthday by James Weldon Johnson's brother John.

Question: is the song a hymn
Self-contained rewrite: is Lift Every Voice and Sing a hymn