It was performed first.
I did some reading and the song was written in the late 19th century and adopted by the NAACP as the Black National anthem in 1919. What I didn't know was, it gained significance during the civil rights era.
That was before my time so to me it's something that effectively widens the divide. The same could be said of "Fuck The Police" by NWA but maybe they both draw attention to important issues. It saddens me to think race relations won't likely improve in my lifetime.