Lift Every Voice and Sing (The Harp)

Figural instruments reveal their makers’ perspectives. Created by enslaved Black people, the banjo later became central to minstrel shows, which presented derisive and racist caricatures of Black culture to white audiences. This banjo by a white maker depicts a Black man, rendering his body as an object to be owned and played at will. In contrast, the Black artist Augusta Savage, inspired by the anthem "Lift Every Voice and Sing," envisioned a harp both human and divine. Robed singers form strings supported by the hand of God as soundboard, affirming the enduring power of music and faith in Black life.