You probably learned in school all about the story of Francis Scott Key watching the “rockets red glare” and “bombs bursting in air” as a prisoner on a British warship and turning the experience into “The Star Spangled Banner.” But, in reality, there is a lot more to this story than you learned about in history class — and a lot of what you did learn in school was false. 

In this replay of one of our Untold Stories episodes, we unpack the man behind “The Star Spangled Banner,” how it became our National Anthem, and whether it truly represents American values. It’s the perfect episode to revisit ahead of the Fourth of July holiday.

 

Articles, Studies, & Podcasts Referenced in the Episode

Annotated National Anthem

“The Short History of the War of 1812 in Maryland” 

“Star Spangled Bigotry: The Hidden Racist History of the National Anthem” by Jason Johnson 

“What So Proudly We Hail,” Documentary from Morgan State University 

“Francis Scott Key Opposed ‘Land of the Free’” by Jefferson Morley, Zinn Education Project

“Where’s the Debate of Francis Scott Key’s Slaveholding Legacy” by Christopher Wilson, Smithsonian Magazine

“Star Spangled Banner Born From a Drinking Song 200 Years Ago,” NPR

“The Fight for the Anthem” by Felicity Knox, Towson University

Oscar Stanton De Priest 

“Mississippi Lawmakers Pass Resolution Paving Way to Remove Confederate Symbol from State Flag” by Brittany Shammas, The Washington Post

 

Song Credit: “Away” by Geographer and “Beach Disco” by Dougie Wood