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.

Mickey Guyton Releases Powerful Rendition of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ From Super Bowl LVI to Mark Three-Year Anniversary ...

The poem is a form of art and should be appreciated as art, not dismissed because of the personal beliefs of the author. Secondly, look at the song itself. The Star Spangled Banner is part of a ...

Then he started to play “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Many guitar heroes have played the national anthem. Famously, Jimi Hendrix performed the song at Woodstock, delivering an iconic rendition ...

This flag, which measured 30 feet by 42 feet, was the original Star-Spangled Banner that inspired the lines of Francis Scott Key’s renowned poem, later to become America’s national anthem.

As such, it is appropriate to consider what the transition means for Black America, and how its musicians have interpreted the “Star Spangled Banner” during times of stress in our racial politics.