“May We Forever Stand” by Imani Perry: Now Available as an Audiobook

May We Forever Stand: A History of the Black National Anthem by Imani Perry, a critically acclaimed bestselling UNC Press title, is now available as an audiobook via Libro.fm, Audible, and Kobo.

Praise for May We Forever Stand:

“Perry provides exegesis and exhortation in explaining how a song captured a culture, and in turn became a cultural captive held fast by emotional ties of a diverse people; hers is a work for adolescents and academics, indeed for any readers interested in at least glimpsing a sense of a pulsing, resilient black consciousness. Highly recommended.”—Library Journal, starred review

“Excellently researched and sourced.”—Michigan Historical Review

“Perry has masterfully researched and written an accessible and captivating cultural history of a transformative and uplifting song adorned with lyrics that have encouraged black people while mirroring their evolution over the past hundred years.”—Journal of African American History

In this rich, poignant, and readable work, Imani Perry tells the story of the Black National Anthem as it traveled from South to North, from civil rights to black power, and from countless family reunions to Carnegie Hall and the Oval Office. Drawing on a wide array of sources, Perry uses “Lift Every Voice and Sing” as a window on the powerful ways African Americans have used music and culture to organize, mourn, challenge, and celebrate for more than a century.

Imani Perry is the Hughes-Rogers Professor of African American studies at Princeton University.