Amata Highlights National Anthem Day
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata released the following statement celebrating National Anthem Day 2023:
“March 3 as National Anthem Day marks another day of note in the heritage of the United States. The National Anthem, titled the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ has been an inspirational song for many years, with deep ties to our nation’s military history and the cause of freedom. The song’s famous lyrics focus on the defense of Fort McHenry under naval bombardment during the War of 1812. The writer, Francis Scott Key, watched the battle from the British ship HMS Surprise, and describes his joy at the sighting of the 15-star U.S. flag, still flying despite a rainstorm and the nighttime attack. The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. now cares for the enormous reveille flag that was raised that morning at the Fort as the attack continued.
“On March 3, 1931, President Herbert Hoover signed the law making the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ officially our country's national anthem. In practice, the Anthem was already widely in use, and President Woodrow Wilson had ordered it played at military celebrations. We love and appreciate our many military families in American Samoa, and our men and women representing our islands so well as they proudly serve in our all-volunteer U.S. Armed Forces. God bless the United States and American Samoa!”
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