Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley today announced the schedule for Star-Spangled Summer 2014, the final three months of historic events and celebrations set to take place from Flag Day (June 14, 2014) through Defender’s Day (September 14, 2014) to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the writing of the national anthem.
The Star-Spangled Banner, originally penned by Francis Scott Key during the Battle of Baltimore at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in 1814, is the most popular piece of patriotic American music ever written.
Governor O’Malley, along with the state’s War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission and its non-profit affiliate Star-Spangled 200, partnered with organizations statewide to stage a series of festivals; stretching from Baltimore to historic waterfront communities along the Chesapeake Bay, all of which played a role in the successful American defense in 1814.
“Maryland saved the nation in 1814 at the Battle of Baltimore, and this year Maryland will lead the nation in celebrating the bicentennial of the writing of the national anthem. The War of 1812 and the Star-Spangled Banner were pivotal in shaping our national identity and thread the tapestry of liberty for our nation,” said Gov. Martin O’Malley. “We’re excited to welcome this event to our great State and look forward to celebrating this defining moment in our shared history.”
The culmination of a multi-year campaign of events designed to honor the bicentennial, Star-Spangled Summer 2014 will kick off at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History with the uniting of the original, hand-written manuscript of Francis Scott Key’s poem with the actual Star-Spangled Banner that inspired it. The manuscript will be on loan June 14 – July 6, 2014 from the Maryland Historical Society, where it will return to on July 7.
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Source: Maryland Office of Tourism
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