Will PBS's Decision To Have Vanessa Williams Sing The 'Black National Anthem' At The July 4th Capitol Celebration Create Unity?

The singer and actress performs the song 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' while hosting PBS's 41st 'A Capitol Fourth' annual celebration, which will air Sunday  

Daily Mail: 'This doesn't sound like unity': Fury at PBS's 'woke and divisive' decision to have Vanessa Williams sing the 'Black National Anthem' at Capitol Fourth Celebration to mark Juneteenth being made a Federal holiday as well 

* The singer and actress will perform the song 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' while hosting PBS's 41st 'A Capitol Fourth' annual celebration, which airs Sunday 

* The song was first written as a poem in 1900 by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson and has long held the nickname as the 'Black National Anthem' 

* Williams said her performance of the song will not only honor the nation's traditional Independence Day, but also Juneteenth 

* The song is not replacing the US National Anthem, with singer Renée Fleming opening the show with a special performance of the 'Star-Spangled Banner' 

* Several other singers and musicians will also be performing different songs 

* The inclusion of the 'Black National Anthem' sparked controversy on Twitter 

* Some called it 'divisive' and a contradiction of efforts to create 'unity' 

PBS has divided opinion with its decision to have Vanessa Williams sing the 'Black National Anthem' during its July 4 celebration, in a nod to Juneteenth being made a federal holiday. 

The singer and actress, who was the first black woman to be crowned Miss America, will perform the song 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' while hosting PBS's 41st 'A Capitol Fourth' annual celebration, which airs Sunday.  

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WNU Editor: I am not sure about this. It is like playing the Quebec national anthem (it is an anthem embraced by those who support independence) after playing O' Canada on Canada Day. 

Nah .... this PBS decision is anything but unity.

But like Quebec where I live and where many do not favor Canada Day, I acknowledge that there are many in the U.S. who have a different view of July 4 .... Ex—MSNBC Host Slams July 4th: 'It Wasn't Independence Day For Black People' (Newsweek).