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'Absolute perfection': Sheryl Lee Ralph hailed as she creates history by singing 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' at Super Bowl LVII opening ceremony

Dressed in a custom Harbison Studio red jumpsuit, Ralph created history by becoming the first Black person to perform the Black national anthem on the field

GLENDALE, ARIZONA: Just before the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles face off at Super Bowl LVII on Sunday, February 12, 2023, Sheryl Lee Ralph of ‘Abbott Elementary’ kicked off the Super Bowl LVII’s opening ceremony with a powerful performance of ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’, often referred to as the Black national anthem. Dressed in a custom Harbison Studio red jumpsuit with off-shoulder puff sleeves, Ralph created history by becoming the first Black person to perform the Black national anthem on the field.

Before her performance, Ralph, who won an Emmy and Critics Choice Award for her performance as Barbra Howard in the hit ABC sitcom 'Abbott Elementary' as reported by People, took it to Twitter and wrote, "123 years ago today 'Lift Every Voice' and Sing was performed publicly for the 1st time. Today I will sing it for the 1st time as part of the @SuperBowl pre game show in the stadium!" She further said, "It is no coincidence that I will be singing the Black National Anthem, Lift Every Voice and Sing at the Super Bowl on the same date it was first publicly performed 123 years ago (February 12, 1900). Happy Black History Month!"

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'This is really the blackest #SuperBowl ever'

Following her performance, many people took to Twitter to express their views on it. One fan wrote, "The dress, the vocals, the chorus, SHERYL! Absolute perfection." Another commented, "She ATE that! @thesherylralph UR a queen!!" One more asked, "Is there anything she can't do?"

Many continued to comment on the performance with one writing, "Sheryl Lee Ralph performing before the Super Bowl even begins is the only thing that’s keeping me invested."

Another social media user wrote, "Sheryl Lee Ralph from #AbbottElementary performs 'Lift Every Voice and Sing.' With two black quarterbacks playing and Rihanna headlining the halftime. This is really the blackest #SuperBowl ever and I am glad I get to witnessed."

'Lift Every Voice and Sing'

According to the NAACP, 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' is a hymn written by James Weldon Johnson in 1900 that’s often referred to as the “Black national anthem” because the “lyrics eloquently captured the solemn yet hopeful appeal for the liberty of Black Americans” and was “prominently used as a rallying cry during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.” A group of 500 schoolchildren of Stanton School, where Johnson was principal, first performed the song in public in Jacksonville, Florida to celebrate President Abraham Lincoln's birthday.

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