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Laurin Talese was tapped to sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing” on Thursday night ahead of the first game of the NFL season between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.
Since the summer of unrest over the death of George Floyd, the NFL has allowed teams to have performers sing the song, known as the Black national anthem. The song has made appearances at season-opening matchups as well as Super Bowls before kickoffs.
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Laurin Talese attends A Celebration of Craft Presented by Producers & Engineers and Songwriters & Composers Wings for the 66th GRAMMY Awards at The GRAMMY Museum on January 31, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Leon Bennett/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
The NBC broadcast also showed one of the messages in the end zone at Lincoln Financial Field. The message read, “It Takes All of Us.”
Playing the song again before the start of the NFL season sparked fiery reactions on social media.
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The NAACP began to promote “Lift Every Voice and Sing” as the Black national anthem in 1917. But it continues to be the source of consternation among fans.
The Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl Championship banner is revealed prior to the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. (Eric Hartline/Imagn Images)
Talese received a standing ovation from those inside the stadium at the time.
She told the Eagles’ website that it was her first time inside Lincoln Financial Field but has become a big fan of the team over the years.
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Fans cheer after Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts ran the ball for a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
“I’m feeling so excited and honored,” she said. “I’m really excited to see what it’s going to feel like. … I love feeling the pulse of the city, but I’ve never been to a game. So, this is my entrance. This is my foray into real-life Eagles fandom, and being able to really be a part of it, like, what better way? It’s kind of crazy, actually.”
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