O, Say Can You See: The Origin of the Star Spangled Banner

Recently, the “Star Spangled Banner,” our National Anthem, has been a touchstone for Civil Rights issues and national controversy.

Its words were born out of a national crisis, written by a man who was himself no stranger to controversy — the song’s melody originated with a British men’s club celebrating wine and sex.

This lecture, led by Eric Mease, explores the origin of the song, the author, a few of the controversies, and the times during which our anthem was conceived.