Marian Anderson, noted contralto, sings "The Star Spangled Banner" at the dedication of a mural commemorating her free public concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday in 1939.

Like so many famous songs of yore, "The Star-Spangled Banner" started as a poem, called “The Defence of Fort McHenry.” It was written by Francis Scott Key in 1814 during the War of 1812.

“The Star Spangled Banner” has long been derided as a poor choice for our national anthem. Critics cite it as difficult to sing, difficult to understand, and most often, difficult to lov ...

Terry Winter's notebook-collage is based on a 1914 photograph of two women at the Smithsonian working to restore the Star-Spangled Banner in a room with a model of a giant squid. Terry Winters ...