how is the star spangled banner song racist

However, their minuscule numbers would have hardly attracted attention. Then the British army and navy turned their attention toward Baltimore. Key watched the smoke rise from the public buildings in the nation’s capital after the British burned them down. It’s true the Colonial Marines fought beside British forces on their way toward Washington, D.C., in 1814. No evidence supports the contention that the reference to “slave” means African-Americans in bondage.įrancis Scott Key, author of the lyrics, never wrote about the song and commented on his creation only once, to praise the brave men who defended Fort McHenry in Baltimore harbor from a British naval bombardment.ĭetractors argue that Key’s lyrics refer to the Colonial Marines, enslaved Africans from the Caribbean to whom the British promised freedom if they helped fight Americans during the War of 1812.

Though tempting, a literal reading of this long-ignored line is facile and erroneous. Paul, echoed these sentiments during his inauguration last month.Īt issue is the troublesome third verse: “ no refuge shall save, the hireling and slave, from the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave.” They called it “one of the most racist, pro-slavery, anti-black songs in the American lexicon.” Some of the fallout surrounding the protests arises from reflexive acceptance of the notion that “The Star-Spangled Banner” celebrates the death of African-American slaves, which prompted the California chapter of the NAACP to call for the song’s ouster as the national anthem. The league banned an advertisement from a veterans organization calling for players to stand and is reportedly looking to keep players in the locker rooms next year to avoid further conflict.

Controversy continues to surround the national anthem as this tumultuous NFL season culminates with Sunday’s Super Bowl.

How is the star spangled banner song racist