National Anthem Day

National Anthem Day, observed March 3rd, marks the anniversary of March 3, 1931, when President Herbert Hoover signed a congressional resolution officially designating "The Star-Spangled Banner" as the national anthem of the United States. The song's lyrics originated decades earlier, written by Francis Scott Key in September 1814 after he witnessed the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore during the War of 1812, inspired by the sight of the American flag still flying over the fort at dawn after the overnight attack. Key set his poem, originally titled "Defence of Fort M'Henry," to the melody of a popular British tune, "To Anacreon in Heaven," which was already widely known at the time. Despite the song's early popularity and informal use at military and patriotic occasions throughout the 19th century, it took over a century after it was written for Congress to formally adopt it as the official national anthem, following decades of advocacy from veterans' groups and patriotic organizations who lobbied for a single, official anthem. The anthem's wide vocal range has made it famously challenging to sing well, a fact frequently on display at public performances. On National Anthem Day, people celebrate by reflecting on the anthem's history or attending events featuring its performance.