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It was inappropriate that she did what she did. It was not what she agreed to do. However, personally, as a black American, I am glad she did it. I relate it to the Olympic Games demonstration in 1960. White America is embarrassed but the legitimacy of the demonstration can not be denied. I know a lot of Africanamericans are embarrassed as well. They want to talk about how much progress has been made. Without denying that progress, just looking at the response to Katrina and Rita with the disparate response and the Jena 6 situation as just 2 recent examples, we haven't scratched the surface for a substantive response to innate American racism.
She was wrong to do it but I applaud her.
Sort of like "civil disobedience".

Very inappropriate. She was asked to sing the US National Anthem, the encompass all Americans. It is not like the boz at the 1968 Olympic Games. I would never defame them by linking them to anything like this. This was so wrong on so many different levels.

The Denver singer indicated she wanted to take artistic license with the national anthem, did not intend to be disrespectful. Isn't that what Rosanne Barr said when she sang the national anthem while burping and scratching her crotch? Guess that was because of G W Bush having been recently elected?

Whitney Huston took artistic license with the anthem and sold a gazillion copies of the recording. This ain't about race. It's about art. Like a pitcher of urine or sheets on the ocean. I didn't care for any of these and don't care for her rendition. Or Rosanne's.

Perhaps this wasn't the appropriate time to express herself, artistically,... I don't think that Ms Marie was in anyway being disrespectful. She is an artist who has expressed her pride in being a proud American on many occasions, in writings and song; but I think in this instance she used poor judgment by not singing what was previously expected...this by no means indicates to me that she is unpatriotic, or is not a proud American...I'm a fan and always will be!

"Lift every voice and sing, till earth and heaven ring; ring with the harmonies of liberty. Let our rejoicing rise, high as the listening skies. let it resound loud as the rolling seas. Sing a song full of the faith that our dark past has taught us. Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us. Facing the rising sun of a new day begun; let us march on till victory is won.
Stoney the road we trod; bitter the chastening rod, Felt in the day when hope unborn had died. Yet with a steady beat did not our weary feet, come to the place for which our fathers sighed. We have come over a way that with tears has been watered. We have come treading our path thru the blood of the slaughered. Out from the gloomy past, till now we stand at last where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.
God of our weary years; God of our silent tears; Thou who has brought us thus far on the way. Thow who hast by thy might, led us into the light; Keep us forever in the path we pray. Lest our feet stray from the places our God where we met thee. Lest our hearts drunk with the wine of the world we forget thee. Shadowed beneath thy hand, may we forever stand. True to our God. True to our native land.

Right on!

Lift every voice and sing, til earth and heaven ring
Ring with the harmonies of liberty
Let our rejoicing rise, high as the list'ng skies
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea
Sing a song of the faith that the dark past has taught us
Sing a song full of hope that the present has brought us
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun
let us march on til victory is won
Stony is the road we trod, bitter the chas'ning rod
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died
Yet with a steady beat, have not our weary feet
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a long way that with tears has been watered
We have come, treading our path thru the blood of the slaughtered
Out of the gloomy past til now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast
God of our weary years, God of our silent tears
Thou who has brought us thus far on our way
Thou who hast by thy might led us into the light
Keep us forever in the path, we pray
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God where we met thee
Lest our hearts. drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee
Shadowed beneath thy hand may we forever stand
True to our God, true to our native land
Let us keep onward still, keep our resolve until
We achieve brotherhood (unity) for all mankind (womankind)
Look to the rising sun, new work each day is begun
Daily we strive til we true freedom find
Save our hope that we so long and dearly did cherish
Lest our hearts weary with cruel disillusion should perish
Stretch forth a loving hand, you who in power stand
Lose not our faith, lose not our native land
w:James Weldon Johnson (v.4 Henrietta McKee) m:J. Rosamund Johnson
copyright 1921

"I am an artist," she wrote. "If I wait until I am asked to express myself artistically, or if I must ask permission to do it, it would never get done. I knew that if I asked to do my version of the national anthem, the answer would be 'no.' "

Marie, 52, said that as a child raised in the segregated South, she sang both songs. But she grew to feel the sentiments of freedom expressed in the national anthem weren't a reality "for black folks living in a town with Jim Crow laws, where the flag often hung from buildings they could not enter," she wrote.

"Nobody but black folks found comfort in 'Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing,' " penned by James Weldon Johnson and put to music by his brother, J. Rosamond Johnson, in about 1900 to commemorate President Lincoln's birthday. The hymn was sung at protest rallies during the civil rights struggles of the 1950s and '60s
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it may have been inappropriate, especially if she had a contract to sing a certain song and its version was expected by the people who may have hired and paid for her services. this may not have been the time and place to express her artistic protest. evidently she does not fear or care about repercussions at this stage in her life and felt this may be the only time in her career she may have the opportunity to do this. i am not in her shoes, i did not live in the segregated south i lived in the segregated north where they pretended to be the liberals they were not. some people said the men of the olympics should not have picked that forum for protest, but what better place than where the world could see and know the inequalities that people of color suffered and pull off the mask of deception. hey who said TO THY OWNSELF BE TRUE?

We sang Lift Evry Voice in high school (Dunbar HS in DC) at assemblies along with the national anthem.

Ms Maire was wrong to sing it if she had been paid specifically to sing something else. If they sue they'd have every right.

I can understand and support her or anyone else wanting to sing it in place of the national anthem. Given the history, it should be understandable to anyone being honest why african americans (or others) woudl want to sing it.