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Vandalism Of Francis Scott Key Statue Raises Questions About 'The Star-Spangled Banner'

Published September 14, 2017 at 1:52 PM EDT
A U.S. flag with 15 stripes and 15 stars, like the one that was flown Fort McHenry during the War of 1812, frames the Battle Monument during the Star Spangled Spectacular Sept. 12, 2014, in Baltimore. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
A U.S. flag with 15 stripes and 15 stars, like the one that was flown Fort McHenry during the War of 1812, frames the Battle Monument during the Star Spangled Spectacular Sept. 12, 2014, in Baltimore. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The mayor of Baltimore says she has no plans to remove the city’s monument to Francis Scott Key, after the words “racist anthem” were sprayed this week on a statue of him. Key wrote what would become the national anthem 205 years ago today while he was held captive on a British ship during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812.

Loyola University professor Karsonya Wise Whitehead (@kayewhitehead) joins Here & Now‘s Robin Young to explain why some people think the anthem’s rarely sung third verse is racist.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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