Lift Every Voice and Sing

St. John’s Cathedral is honored to host a World Day of Worship as part of a city-wide celebration marking the 126th Anniversary of James Weldon Johnson’s Lift Every Voice and Sing. Organized by Brentwood Public Library and chaired by Sharon Coon, this global tribute gathers the community in worship, reflection, and hope.

Under the theme “Acknowledging the Past and Triumph over Struggle,” the service will explore the enduring power and witness of this sacred anthem through word and song. Worship will be hosted by the Very Rev. Kate Moorehead Carroll in the historic setting of St. John’s Cathedral in downtown Jacksonville.

Following the worship service, Dean Kate and Sharon Coon will continue the conversation in Taliaferro Hall, reflecting on the anthem’s legacy and its impact across generations. All are invited to stay for lunch and fellowship as we continue this shared celebration.

About Sharon Coon

From 1985 to the present, Sharon Coon has spent 40 years promoting the legacy of James Weldon Johnson and his family roots in the Jacksonville, Florida community. Her leadership has brought many initiatives to life: from the James Weldon Johnson Heritage Trail to the Poetry and Dramatic Arts Contest; a successful state campaign for James Weldon Johnson application acceptance into the Florida Artist Hall of Fame; the James Weldon Johnson Festival; the JWJ Young Writers Festival; Jacksonville: Then and Now Documentary; James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson Youth Piano Competition; Sharing Your Story; and the annual celebration of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

“Our programs have inspired young people to become Broadway performers, teachers, authors, lawyers, nurses, entrepreneurs, and politicians. Each success is a powerful reminder that investing in our children’s education and well-being unlocks extraordinary possibilities.”

From 2013 to the present, she founded the first known Friends of the Brentwood Public Library, Inc. to develop Urban Core outreach events and arts and educational programs, utilizing James Weldon Johnson’s legacy to support the Jacksonville Public Library in the Brentwood Community.