The Flag, the Poet and the Song: The Story of the Star-Spangled Banner

Setting the record straight about our most famous flag and its anthem is the purpose of _The Flag, the Poet, & the Song: The Story of the Star-Spangled Banner_ (Dutton) by Irvin Molotsky, a fun look at an important part of American history. It is important history because of the emphasis we place on our sacred flag, and it is important to see how we often get that history wrong. It shows how in the War of 1812, the British looked invincible advancing onto Baltimore after burning Washington (which they did in retaliation for the Americans unjustifiably burning Toronto). Frances Scott Key, a lawyer, was commissioned by President Madison to negotiate freedom for a captured American, and thus was on a British ship when the bombardment of Fort McHenry took place. He did not see the huge Star-Spangled Banner under bombardment; a smaller, less valuable one was flying in the rain, but the big one was raised the next morning. He wrote his poem, "The Defence of Fort McHenry," not the title by which we know it, and someone discovered it could be sung to "Anacreon in Heaven," a jolly English drinking song. It was popular, but it was not adopted as the National Anthem until 1931, and the choice was controversial. Critics said that the music ought to be of a more modest range so everyone could sing it, and that it should not be derived from a British tune, much less a drinking song since America was under prohibition. Most objections were about the martial lyrics, which would give "to millions of children who sing it the notion that the only real patriotism is warlike activity." This and its unsingablility are objections that continue to be brought up, when "America the Beautiful" or "God Bless America" are proposed as replacements, but the anthem is secure.

Molotsky's book is largely a happy miscellany of flag and anthem lore. It spends a chapter on the proposed constitutional amendment to prevent flag burning (General Colin Powell: "I would not amend that great shield of democracy to hammer a few miscreants. The flag will still be flying proudly long after they have slunk away."). The original flag is now undergoing an $18 million restoration and preservation, in a laboratory that visitors to the Smithsonian can peer into. There are plenty of enjoyable details here, but the flag and anthem form an important facet of American history and public thought, and Molotsky has done a fine job of making the historic ideas accessible in a patriotic little volume.