{"id":1467,"date":"2014-08-21T11:31:33","date_gmt":"2014-08-21T15:31:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gettysburgflag.com\/blog\/?p=1467"},"modified":"2025-10-16T16:33:07","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T20:33:07","slug":"1914-speech-saluted-star-spangled-banner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gettysburgflag.com\/blog\/1914-speech-saluted-star-spangled-banner\/","title":{"rendered":"1914 speech saluted \u2018Star-Spangled Banner\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Invitation<\/a>
Invitation to participate in centennial of National Anthem<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Next month, the bicentennial of \u201cThe Star-Spangled Banner\u201d will be commemorated. That means the 100th anniversary of the song honoring the American flag<\/a> occurred in September 1914.<\/p>\n

Centennial events were held throughout America. Naturally, because Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics to the National Anthem in Baltimore, the major focus of the song\u2019s birthday occurred there. Two years were spent in planning for the party, and the week-long \u201cbanner centenary,\u201d as one newspaper headlined it, drew tens of thousands of people. Among them were 6,500 children who dressed in red, white and blue, and formed themselves into a living American flag.<\/p>\n

\"People<\/a>
People crowd around to see children forming a living American flag.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The New York Times listed some of the candles atop the centennial cake, including an appearance in Baltimore\u2019s harbor by the Constellation, \u201cthe oldest ship in the U.S. Navy,\u201d and a parade crowded with 500 floats. The grandness of the celebration was evident in the official program, which ran nearly 300 pages.<\/p>\n

\"William<\/a>
William Jennings Bryan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While the producers of the centennial hoped that President Woodrow Wilson would deliver a major speech, he dispatched Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan in his place. Bryan offered a lengthy oration that one newspaper titled the \u201ceulogy of Old Glory.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
A Baltimore street decorated for the centennial<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Cover<\/a>
Cover of the centennial program<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The address contrasted the horrors of Europe\u2019s newly begun world war with America\u2019s peace. \u201cThe war era has ended in the United States,\u201d he said, \u201cand is drawing to its close in foreign lands. The convulsions through which Europe is now passing are but the death throes of militarism.\u201d<\/p>\n

While America\u2019s entry into that conflict in a few years — and World War II later — would prove him wrong, Bryan was right about the flag when he said: \u201cOur starry banner, beautiful as it is to the eye \u2013 and there is none more beautiful \u2013 derives its real splendor from the fact that it floats \u2018o\u2019er the land of the free and the home of the brave.\u2019 The words describe a political state and the virtues of the people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Illustrations<\/a>
Illustrations from the centennial program.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The famous orator declaimed, \u201cHail! Flag of the free and the brave \u2013 priceless legacy from the fathers, baptized in their precious blood. Be our country\u2019s ensign still\u2026.May the colors stimulate the struggling, hoping hosts of man to the impulses that are noblest, to the service that is largest and to the achievements that are most enduring.\u201d<\/p>\n

In September, America will once again salute \u201cThe Star-Spangled Banner,\u201d this time on its 200th birthday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Next month, the bicentennial of \u201cThe Star-Spangled Banner\u201d will be commemorated. That means the 100th anniversary of the song honoring the American flag occurred in September 1914. Centennial events were held throughout America. Naturally, because Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics to the National Anthem in Baltimore, the major focus of the song\u2019s birthday occurred… continue<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":6097,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[10,105,103],"class_list":["post-1467","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history-lessons","tag-american-flag","tag-francis-scott-key","tag-star-spangled-banner"],"yoast_head":"\n1914 speech saluted \u2018Star-Spangled Banner\u2019<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Next month, the 100th anniversary of \u201cThe Star-Spangled Banner\u201d, the song honoring the American flag, will be commemorated.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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