Oh Say Can You Sing ... the National Anthem?

Oh Say Can You Sing ... the National Anthem?

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As protests against federal immigration agents’ use of deadly force in Minneapolis spread nationwide, privacy experts are raising alarms. Immigration agencies are using facial-recognition and other tools to identify immigrants – and to track American citizens who observe or prote ...  Show more

SF Public School Teachers Ready for First Strike Since 1979

Over the weekend, San Francisco’s public school teachers voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. The dispute is centered on pay, health benefits, and support for special education, all at a time when the district has been facing financial headwinds so dire that the state has ...  Show more

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National Anthem Day
Live Mic

Lee discusses the history of the national anthem on this anniversary of "The Star Spangled Banner" becoming the official national anthem for the US.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

American Anthem
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The Star-Spangled Banner is the official anthem for the United States, but there are plenty of songs that have become informal American anthems for millions of people. This week, we share three stories from NPR Music's American Anthem series that highlight the origins of songs th ...  Show more

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America's national anthem was written by a lawyer, Francis Scott Key, after watching the British navy bombing Fort McHenry in 1814. It was set to an English social men's club song and recognized as the national anthem in 1889. Notoriously difficult to sing, and traditionally play ...  Show more

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Did you know the melody to the Star Spangled Banner was once a British drinking song? In preparation for the Super Bowl, we uncover how the national anthem has been co-opted and reinterpreted by mega pop-stars. Our understanding of how this song sounds has been shaped by sporting ...  Show more