🇺🇸 National ANTHEM Day 2025 – Mar 3

🎤 National ANTHEM Day ORIGIN & HISTORY

Anthems have a way of uniting all of us in glory, pride, and a sense of belonging. Isn’t it one of those things we learn as a kid, singing in unison and evoking emotions every time we hear it? President Herbert Hoover signed a congressional order into law making “The Star-Spangled Banner” America’s national anthem on March 3, 1931. National ANTHEM Day is celebrated on the 3rd Day in March to coincide with the signing of this law.

Some national anthems are marches, others hymns. Others have lyrics detailing the struggles of sovereignty and liberty, its people, culture, or beautiful scenery. But one thing’s for certain – every national song has a story behind it.

History behind the STARS & STRIPES

The “Star-Spangled Banner” is a distinctive song that symbolizes enduring & striving steadfastness. Francis Scott Key wrote the poem on September 13, 1814, during the War of 1812 when a naval attack was underway against Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland USA which overlooks the Chesapeake Bay. Washington DC was seized and burned. During the night of September 7, the Fort was brutally assaulted.

Key was an attorney who had hunkered down on the HMS Erebus alongside the HMS Meteor that launched bombs exploding like rockets with red glares bursting in the air during the pouring rain when this unfolded. The people of Baltimore looked on as the Fort’s 15-star storm flag withstood the attack overnight and was known as the star-spangled banner. It’s still on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

Knowing there were many different versions of the “Star-Spangled Banner”, President Woodrow Wilson asked the Bureau of Education to officially consolidate and formalize just one arrangement. The Bureau hired five musicians, including composer John Philip Sousa known as the “American March King”, to help homogenize the tune and unveil it on December 5, 1917.

🎶 HOW to Celebrate & Observe National ANTHEM Day?

Not sure how to LOVE the day? We’ve got a few interesting ideas that will help.

Here are some activities that you can do on National ANTHEM Day!

💙 Be PATRIOTIC

• Proudly fly the American flag at your place of business, on your car, school grounds, or house.
• Visit Fort McHenry, the place that started it all!
• Learn the lyrics to your national anthem instead of just lip-synching.
• Take a trip to the Francis Scott Key Park while visiting Washington, D.C. USA

💙 SING your heart out

Sing your rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner”. In fact, you could try learning the rest of the verses. Yes, the national anthem actually has a total of four complete verses. The poet Oliver Wendell Holmes actually even wrote a fifth verse in support of the Union during the American Civil War denouncing “the traitor that dares to defile the flag of her stars.”

💙 HIKE the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail

This connects all the historical sites from Virginia, into the District of Columbia area, and even the Battle of Baltimore, Maryland which was the inspiration for the poem. It ought to be a wonderful 560-mile trail seeing the history of his great young country.

💙 BECOME Carmen Sandiego

Take the time to learn the different theme songs & national anthems for your favorite countries. Research other countries and how they each celebrate patriotism. Find the music and how to sing or play. In fact, did you know there are many that have full verses that are rarely sung including the US anthem and currently the UK’s “God Save the Queen”.

💙 RAISE Social Awareness

Use social media posts with the hashtags #NationalAnthemDay, #NationalAnthem, #Anthems, #USA, #World, #GovernmentHolidays, #MarchHolidays, #Holiday, #FindADayToLOVE, #iHEARTdays to support the importance of celebrating, promoting, and sharing with the world why you ❤️ National ANTHEM Day.

LEARN more about how to sing the USA NATIONAL ANTHEM

USA NATIONAL ANTHEM FOR KIDS

A COMEDIC TAKE ON THE “STAR-SPANGLED BANNER”

TWELVE Fun Facts you never knew about National ANTHEM Day

1. Interestingly the melody to “The Star-Spangled Banner” is from an old 18th century English drinking song called “To Anacreon in Heav’n” which became an American drinking tune. John Adams took the notes and tried to use it as a campaign song warding off challenger Thomas Jefferson for the presidency to no avail.
2. Francis Scott Key would not recognize his own work today. It’s because over 200 years later we sing his famous tune with a much slower tempo and by a solo singer; originally it was faster and sang as a chorus.
3. National anthems are usually sung in the official language of the country. Some countries have anthems with lyrics in more than one language.
   

   Other Interesting ANTHEMS

4. Poet Francisco González Bocanegra was locked in a room by his girlfriend in order to come up with an entry she wanted him to submit as Mexico was holding a national anthem writing contest. She didn’t let him out until he had come up with the entire 10-verse winning lyrics and passed it under the door!
5. If you think that’s bad, in 1853 the president of Costa Rica threw Captain Manuel María Gutiérrez into prison tasked with composing their national anthem when it was deemed the captain wasn’t taken his job seriously as he thought it was too much of a responsibility for his shoulders.
6. Czechoslovakia’s national anthem combined Czech opera verses and a popular Slovak folk song in 1918. When the country eventually split into two, both Slovakia & the Czech Republic divided the song. The Czechs took the first verse while the Slovaks took the second!
7. Cyprus has no national anthem of its own; instead, they borrow the Greek & Turkey songs.
8. Ukraine is on the verge of collapse with the invasion of Vladimir Putin’s military forces. Did you know that their national anthem begins with the words “Ukraine is not yet dead”? In fact, it continues on to say “Our enemies will die, as the dew does in the sunshine, and we, too, brothers, we’ll live happily in our land.”
9. Japan has the oldest national anthem. Kimigayo was the theme for the Empire of Japan based on a Waka poem of unknown origin sometime in the Heian period and sung with a melody from the 9th-century Meiji period which has since been replaced in 1880. Following their surrender in WWII, Japan was allowed to keep Kimigayo as their patriotic theme which translates into “His Imperial Majesty’s Reign”.
10. The oldest national anthem still in use today is the Dutch national anthem “Wilhelmus” written in 1572.
11. Who has the longest national anthem? That honor goes to Greece with 158 stanzas although since adopting a shorter version, Uruguay clocks in at almost six minutes. And there you go!
12. And the shortest anthem in the world goes to Uganda having only eight bars or measures of music. It routinely is repeated twice because it’s so darn short.

Future DATES for National ANTHEM Day

Why we L💜VE National ANTHEM Day

National ANTHEM Day reflects memories of a nation’s past, conflicts, and struggles that the country endured. An anthem seeks to inspire & encourage resolve through its melodic notes, and to inspire pride in homeland culture. National anthems are frequently sung and performed during national holidays, days honoring days of independence or freedom; they often are heard during daily morning routines in school and when people gather in larger groups for public sporting events.

1. Message of HOPE

   The “Star-Spangled Banner” has an enduring message that no matter what our country goes through, the United States of America will work to make America Great Again. Be it times of turbulence dating back to the attack on Fort McHenry, the Great Depression, or foreign & domestic wars, 9-11, to catastrophic natural disasters such Hurricane Katrina & Sandy and the recent deadly tornados that ripped through Mayfield Kentucky.

2. NATIONALISM

   People throughout the world should appreciate the country they’re a part of – a sense of nationalism, but also work to give respect to everyone in the human race and living things on earth helping the world as a whole. Every nation goes through times of difficulties and wouldn’t it be great to support their beliefs with a song or anthem. We Are the World anyone?

Can You Sing Your Anthem?