Racist History Of The White National Anthem

Racist History is American

In the fabric of American patriotism, few symbols stand as prominently as the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance. These ritualistic expressions of national identity are performed daily in schools, before sporting events, and during civic gatherings across the United States. Yet beneath their familiar cadences lies a complex history intertwined with America's racial past—a history that scholars like Michael Imhotep have worked to uncover and contextualize.

The Star-Spangled Banner: Beyond the First Verse

Most Americans know only the first verse of "The Star-Spangled Banner," written by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812. What many don't realize is that the complete song contains verses that reveal troubling attitudes toward enslaved people who sought freedom.

Francis Scott Key, a slaveholder and anti-abolitionist, wrote the anthem after witnessing the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore. What's often omitted from patriotic narratives is that the third verse of the anthem contains these lines:

No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave

These lyrics are widely interpreted by historians as a condemnation of enslaved people who joined the British Colonial Marines during the War of 1812, seeking the freedom the British promised them in exchange for military service. Key's celebration of their deaths at the hands of American forces stands in stark contrast to the anthem's declaration of America as "the land of the free."

Francis Scott Key: Complicated Figure in American History

Key's personal history further complicates the anthem's legacy. As a wealthy lawyer in Washington D.C., Key was deeply embedded in the slaveholding aristocracy of early America. While he occasionally represented enslaved people seeking freedom in court (sometimes pro bono), he also prosecuted abolitionists and firmly believed in colonization—the idea that freed Black people should be sent to Africa rather than integrated into American society.

Key's views reflected the racial contradictions of his time. He once described Black people as "a distinct and inferior race of people, which all experience proves to be the greatest evil that afflicts a community." These sentiments from the anthem's author raise questions about whose freedom the song truly celebrates.

The Pledge of Allegiance: A Product of Its Time

The Pledge of Allegiance, while coming decades later, also emerged from a period of American history marked by racial segregation and nativism. Written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister and socialist, the Pledge was originally created as part of a national public school celebration commemorating the 400th anniversary of Columbus's arrival in the Americas.

Though Bellamy's personal views were more progressive than many of his contemporaries (he advocated for equal rights among races and peoples), the Pledge was born in an era when:

1. Jim Crow segregation was being cemented across the American South
2. Native Americans were being forced onto reservations and their children into assimilation schools
3. Chinese immigrants were explicitly excluded from citizenship
4. The Supreme Court had recently upheld "separate but equal" racial segregation

The original Pledge didn't include the phrase "under God" (added in 1954 during the Cold War) and was accompanied by a salute that was later changed during World War II due to its similarity to the Nazi salute.

Ritual and Nationalism in American Culture

Both the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance serve as rituals of national identity that have evolved over time. Their mandatory performance in schools and public spaces raises questions about the intersection of patriotism, historical memory, and inclusivity.

The controversy surrounding these symbols intensified in 2016 when NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the National Anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality. His protest highlighted how these patriotic rituals continue to be sites of contestation over whose experiences count in American identity.

Africa in April Memphis: Celebrating Alternative Cultural Narratives

The discussion about the problematic history of America's patriotic symbols finds meaningful context within celebrations like Africa in April in Memphis, Tennessee. This annual cultural awareness festival, established in 1986 by Dr. David and Yvonne Acey, serves as a counterpoint to traditional American patriotic narratives by centering African cultural heritage and the contributions of the African diaspora to American society.

Africa in April creates space for exploring how patriotic symbols and traditional American historical narratives have often excluded or marginalized Black experiences. The festival's emphasis on education, cultural awareness, and community empowerment offers an alternative framework for understanding American identity—one that acknowledges the central role of African heritage in shaping the nation.

The festival's focus on a different African country each year reminds attendees of the diverse cultures from which enslaved Africans were taken, providing important context for understanding the historical period in which the National Anthem was written. This celebration stands in stark contrast to Francis Scott Key's colonizationist views, which denied the possibility of true integration of Black Americans into the fabric of American society.

In workshops, panel discussions, and cultural performances throughout the festival, participants can engage with more inclusive historical narratives that challenge the whitewashed versions of American history that have traditionally accompanied patriotic symbols like the anthem and pledge. These alternative spaces for civic engagement demonstrate how communities can reclaim and redefine what American identity means beyond the constraints of problematic national symbols.

Moreover, Africa in April's emphasis on economic development within Black communities reflects an understanding that true freedom requires economic self-determination—a freedom that was explicitly denied to Black Americans during the era when both the National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance were created. By supporting Black businesses and entrepreneurs, the festival embodies a more comprehensive vision of liberty than the one celebrated in Key's anthem.

Confronting Historical Complexity

Understanding the problematic aspects of these national symbols doesn't necessarily mean rejecting them entirely. Rather, it invites Americans to engage more deeply with their country's complex history and to recognize that patriotic symbols can simultaneously represent different things to different communities.

Some advocates have suggested:

• Teaching the full history of these symbols in schools, including their problematic aspects
• Acknowledging that criticism of these symbols isn't necessarily unpatriotic but can reflect a desire for the nation to live up to its highest ideals
• Considering alternative verses or updated language that might better reflect contemporary American values

Moving Forward with Historical Awareness

What does it mean to recite a pledge or sing an anthem with a fuller understanding of its history? For many Americans, this knowledge creates an opportunity for more meaningful engagement with national symbols.

By acknowledging the racist elements embedded in these patriotic traditions, Americans can work toward a more inclusive understanding of national identity—one that honors the experiences of all communities that have contributed to the nation's development.

The conversation about these symbols isn't about erasing history but about enriching it, ensuring that patriotic expressions reflect not just how Americans have fallen short of their ideals but also how they continue to strive toward them.

Conclusion

The National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance remain powerful symbols in American culture, but their histories remind us that patriotic traditions are never neutral. They carry the complex legacies of their times, including the racial attitudes that prevailed when they were created.

By examining these histories honestly, Americans have an opportunity to craft more inclusive expressions of national identity—ones that acknowledge historical injustices while affirming shared aspirations for equality and freedom.

In the ongoing project of creating a more perfect union, understanding the full context of our national symbols is not an act of disrespect but one of engagement with the unfinished work of American democracy. Celebrations like Africa in April in Memphis demonstrate how communities can simultaneously honor their specific cultural heritage while participating in the broader project of redefining American identity in more inclusive terms.