I, Too, Sing America: Black Patriotism from Frederick Douglass to Whitney Houston.

This article examines the tradition of Black patriotism in the United States through the lens of political rhetoric and cultural expression, focusing on figures from Frederick Douglass to Whitney Houston. It argues that Black patriotism often operates as a "hidden transcript," a concept from James C. Scott describing a form of resistance that outwardly adopts dominant patriotic symbols while simultaneously critiquing and subverting them to sustain Black counterpublics and political solidarity. The essay highlights Douglass's 1852 Fourth of July address as an early example of this double-voiced patriotism, which both appeals to and challenges white America, and traces its continuation in Black musical performances of the national anthem, including Houston's acclaimed 1991 Super Bowl rendition. These performances use stylistic innovations to emphasize themes of freedom and exclusion, articulating a complex Black political identity that negotiates hope, critique, and resistance within the language of American patriotism.