Celebrating the 200th Anniversary of the "Star Spangled Banner"

Published June 2, 2014
By Master Sgt. Matthew Murray

Washington, D.C. -- On National Flag Day this Saturday, June 14, The United States Air Force Concert Band and Singing Sergeants will join a star-studded cast to celebrate the Bicentennial of the "Star Spangled Banner."

The Band will partner with more than 70 organizations, including the Smithsonian Institute, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Chorus America and the National Park Service for a once-in-a-lifetime gala event entitled "Raise It Up! Anthem for America."

The extravaganza will be hosted by the National Museum of American History and will culminate in a nation-wide sing-along of the "Star Spangled Banner" at 4 p.m. (E.S.T), including approsimately 800 Macy's department stores around the country broadcasting the spectacle live from their store windows.

The concert, led by the Concert Band under the baton of commander and conductor Col. Larry H. Lang, will kick off at 2:30 p.m., and will feature R & B singer, multi-instrumentalist and producer, Brian McKnight, Grammy-winning composer Eric Whiteacre conducting "America the Beautiful," and MacArthur 'genius' Fellow Francisco J. Núñez conducting "Lift Every Voice" alongside a 500-member choir made up of as many as 16 different ensembles including the Singing Sergeants.

Just before the concert, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley will lead a ribbon-cutting ceremony uniting Francis Scott Key's original manuscript of the "Star Spangled Banner" with the actual flag that inspired him to compose it. For the first time, the two historic relics will be displayed side-by-side at the National Museum of American History.

On September 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote the poem "Defence of Fort McHenry," the first lyrical form of what was later to become our national anthem. Key's inspiration was that the flag of the United States was still standing tall at Fort McHenry near Baltimore, despite a 25-hour bombardment by the British Navy from the Chesapeake Bay during the War of 1812.

The melody of the "Star Spangled Banner" was originally known as "To Anacreon in Heaven," composed by John Stafford Smith. It was the official song of the Anacreotonic Society, an 18th century gentlemen's club in London. As was common practice in the 18th and 19th centuries, its melody was set to literally hundreds of different sets of lyrics over the years and decades. By 1820, as many as 84 sets of lyrics were written to the tune in the United States alone.

The National Museum of American History has been the home of the original "Star-Spangled Banner" since 1907. "It is an honor for the museum to be the home of the Star-Spangled Banner flag and to preserve it for future generations," said John L. Gray, director of the National Museum of American History.

The museum will also be displaying the gown worn by Renée Fleming during her performance of the "Star Spangled Banner" at this year's Super Bowl. Fleming was backed up by a joint chorus of military bandsmen, including the Air Force's own Singing Sergeants.

Please join us on June 14 at the National Museum of American History to celebrate this historic event. For more information please visit: www.anthemforamerica.si.edu

Raise It Up with the Singing Sergeants