© 2025 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

For 200 Years, That Star-Spangled Banner Does Still Wave

National Museum of American History

Kansas Citians - or at least Chiefs fans - may have our own take on the closing line of the national anthem, but this Independence Day we can join the rest of America to celebrate the song's 200th anniversary. That's right: it's been two centuries since Francis Scott Key first commemorated the symbol of the home of the brave

On Thursday's Up to Date we discuss the Star Spangled Banner's bicentennial - how the song continues to serve as a reminder of national history, and why it's such a challenge to sing.

Guest: Dr. Amity Bryson is the Music Department Chair at Avila University.

Learn more: To learn about the flag, the song, and its legacy, click here.

When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
No matter what happens in Washington D.C., Kansas City needs KCUR. And KCUR needs you.

Our ability to report local news — accurate, independent and paywall-free — depends on you. Donate now to support fact-based news.