american national anthem lyrics racist meaning

It's disrespectful and it does not speak for black Americans. 'If you know your history, you know the full song of the National Anthem, the third paragraph speaks to slaves in America, our blood being slain.all over the floor.

flag and draped a T-shirt over her head as the anthem played.īerry insisted that she does not hate America and does want to represent the country at the Games in Tokyo, but said she had a specific problem with the Star-Spangled Banner. In an interview on Tuesday, Berry responded to backlash over to her behavior during the anthem at the Olympic trials in Oregon, where she turned her back on the U.S. Historians for years have debated whether author Francis Scott Key intended the words as an insult to British troops generally, or as a specific comment on formerly enslaved persons fighting for the British in the War of 1812. The controversy relates to the phrase 'hireling and slave' in the third stanza, which is never sung in practice. national anthem's obscure third stanza is swirling once again, after Olympic hammer thrower Gwen Berry slammed the lyrics as blatantly racist. Published: 18:36 GMT, 30 June 2021 | Updated: 06:19 GMT, 1 July 2021Ī debate over the meaning of the U.S. Others believe it is a reference to British Colonial Marines, freed former slaves.Some say it was intended to insult British troops as mercenaries and conscripts.But there is debate on exactly what 'slaves' Key was referring to in his lyrics.Historians agree on the staunchly anti-British sentiment of the poem.

From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,' Francis Scott Key wrote in the original 1814 poem

'No refuge could save the hireling and slave.

Historians have long debated meaning of stanza, which is not normally sung.

'The third paragraph speaks to slaves in America, our blood being slain,' she said.Explained in an interview that she considers the anthem's third stanza racist.Gwen Berry turned her back on the flag during anthem at trials on Saturday.Olympic athlete's protest brings focus on little-known lyrics of national anthem.Is the Star Spangled Banner racist? Gwen Berry says there's 'no question' third stanza of national anthem is offensive, but historians debate whether 'slave' reference was insult to British troops in War of 1812

American national anthem lyrics racist meaning