This day in History (Mar. 3, 1931): Congress made
official the poem that Francis Scott Key wrote while
off the coast during the War of 1812 as the British
pounded Fort MCHENRY. Fort MCHENRY and the
never wavering Flag flying giving proof through the
night FREEDOM was still there in our Nation and
like in 1775-1783 Revolutionary War we would
prevail. This is the IMAGERY and PATRIOT SPIRIT
behind MCHENRY PRESS (part of ILLUMIFY MEDIA)
which Terror Strikes will be its first Publication!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

more (though I'm sure you know this):

"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written on September 14, 1814, by 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British ships of the Royal Navy in Baltimore Harbor during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812. Key was inspired by the large U.S. flag, with 15 stars and 15 stripes, known as the Star-Spangled Banner, flying triumphantly above the fort during the U.S. victory.

The poem was set to the tune of a popular British song written by John Stafford Smith for the Anacreontic Society, a men's social club in London. "To Anacreon in Heaven" (or "The Anacreontic Song"), with various lyrics, was already popular in the United States. This setting, renamed "The Star-Spangled Banner", soon became a well-known U.S. patriotic song. With a range of 19 semitones, it is known for being very difficult to sing. Although the poem has four stanzas, only the first is commonly sung today."

The Star-Spangled Banner" was recognized for official use by the United States Navy in 1889, and by U.S. president Woodrow Wilson in 1916, and was made the national anthem by a congressional resolution on March 3, 1931 (46 Stat. 1508, codified at 36 U.S.C. § 301), which was signed by President Herbert Hoover.

Before 1931, other songs served as the hymns of U.S. officialdom. "Hail, Columbia" served this purpose at official functions for most of the 19th century. "My Country, 'Tis of Thee", whose melody is identical to "God Save the Queen", the United Kingdom's national anthem, also served as a de facto national anthem. Following the War of 1812 and subsequent U.S. wars, other songs emerged to compete for popularity at public events, among them "America the Beautiful", which itself was being considered before 1931 as a candidate to become the national anthem of the United States.

source: Wikipedia

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MCHENRY PRESS will become a leading Publisher of American Patriot Authors. I am SO HONORED to be asked to be part of the History beginning now, as the first Author (and my book: TERROR STRIKES) that will be released on MCHENRY PRESS.

UPDATE - See too: https://www.terrorstrikes.info/extras-history-march-17th

                                                          Joseph M. Lenard